Four Corners Christmas tree display provides more than just holiday cheer

FARMINGTON, N.M. — The countdown to Christmas has begun, and in the Four Corners there is no shortage of Christmas trees.

Once a year, the Farmington Civic Center transforms into a forest of Christmas trees, and every year community members light up when they see all the dazzling displays.

“Our community really looks forward to that, to really be able to kick off the holiday season,” Jyl Adair, Northwest Region director for Presbyterian Medical Services, said. 

Creating all the holiday displays is a community effort.

“Over the past 20 years of having Festival of Trees, really the community has just been an overflow of their generosity,” Adair said.

Kristen Santesson, community chair for Festival of Trees, said that this year there were 90 donors.

“They have willingly volunteered their talents and their efforts to really contribute to getting this event kicked off and making sure this beauty was in the room,” Santesson said.

But the event is more than just the twinkling lights, glass bulbs, and the star upon the highest branch, because all 90 displays are all up for grabs.

“They donate trees and all of these beautiful goodies that go underneath it, and we raffle off the tickets at 50 cents a ticket,” Adair said.

And there are more prizes than meet the eye.

“Sometimes donors have special surprises that you didn’t know were in the tree so there is lots of Christmas cheer that will be spread,” Santesson added.

But during the season of giving, the gifting doesn’t just end there.

“This event benefits the 5 programs that are here in San Juan County for Presbyterian Medical Services,” Adair said. “All of the money that is raised truly does stay here local, it stays all in our region and it goes to all of those 5 programs- things that typical funding may not actually reimburse for.”

This is the largest fundraiser for Presbyterian Medical Services in the Northwest Region, and the raffle winners will be announced on their Facebook page Sunday.