The Story Behind This Year's Christmas Tree

Every year we purchase a tree from the Festival Of Trees to display in our office. This year we are going to give YOU a chance to win the tree and the items that came with it!

The Festival of Trees was inspired 42 years ago by a group of 15 women from along the Wasatch Front.  These women were challenged by Lewis M. Jones, Chairman of the hospital's Men's Endowment Board, to identify a way to raise funds for Primary Childrens' Hospital. Thousands of people join efforts by contributing countless hours and means to give “A Gift of Love" to children.  In 2011, the Festival raised $1,655,931.40 for children at Primary Children's Medical Center.

Most of the trees donated have a story behind the meaning of the tree. Here is the story that came with this year's tree:

By, The Hansen Familiy

This year I lost two great uncles. They both ran ranches, raised beautiful large families, and were true cowboys. Both ranches we would gather peacock feathers, ride horses, and see dragonflies often.

Homer Jones would be 103 years old this December. He was the brother to Lewis Jones (a past Primary Childrens' Hospital board member that originally started the Festival Of The Trees). Homer ran a ranch in southern Utah, and when he was ready to retire, he was kind enough to sell his shares of the ranch to my dad so we could keep the ranch in our family. On his 100th birthday, he told me that "he only golfs 9 holes instead of 18; other than that, it's not hard being 100 years old."

Blane Hickman was 98 when he died this summer. He ran a ranch on the border of Utah and Idaho. He grew up riding horses to school. Once, he hooked up a team of horses for his mom to go to Relief Society. The ladies were all dressed up to go to a church dinner. The horses got spooked and all the ladies ended up in the snow. When my grandma was faced with having to have assisted living, she begged for her brother Blaine because "He would get her out of this place!" He was a great brother too.

God bless the American Cowboy. My great uncles really were great!

Thank you to the Hansen Family for sharing these memories, and donating to the Festival Of Trees. We are honored to continue the memories of these two great men, and remember them this holiday season.