Not Your Normal Christmas Trees

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The Ivan Carlson Elves have been working hard getting ready for the holidays. And for the fourteenth year, we we thrilled to again be part of the magic at Navy Pier’s Winter WonderFest. One our favorite design challenges every year is coming up with thirty different theme trees. Each year, we re-design & re-employ the holiday ornaments into a new thematic design concept. It’s a great challenge that we look forward to every year! Our first trio platform pays homage to our beautiful City… The Chicago Flag TREE chicago flag The Chicago Fire.. complete with Mrs. O’Leary’s cow! TREE chicago fire 1 TREE chicago fire 3 The Chicago River – from blue water, to dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day… to the annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby! TREE chicago river 1 TREE chicago river 2 Next up was a trio of trees dedicated to Chicago’s athletes… whether endurance Marathon runners, weekend warriors or those daring few who “plunge” into the frozen Lake Michigan! TRIO chicago races 3 The Chicago Marathon TREE marathon 1 TREE marathon 2 TREE marathon 4 The Shamrock Shuffle TREE shamrock shuffle 2 TREE shamrock shuffle 1 The Polar Plunge TREE polar plunge 2 For some quick animated fun, the third platform was an homage to the Cartoon Network “classic” Adventure Time. TRIO adventure time 3 Adventure Time : The Candy Kingdom TREE adventure time pink Adventure Time : Verdant Plains TREE adventure time green Adventure Time : Ice Kingdom TREE adventure time blue And because we just couldn’t “let it go”… the fourth trio platform was deconstructed nod to every little girls’ “frozen” dreams. TRIO frozen 3 Princess Anna TREE frozen elsa Olaf TREE frozen olaf 2 Elsa – complete with her shock of frozen hair woven through the braid! TREE frozen anna 1 The remainder of the trees were single. Individual Christmas trees placed around Festival Hall at the entrance and amongst the attractions. Part of the fun for we Elves is to see the guests walk around admiring the trees, and trying to determine what the theme of each is. Under The Sea TREE aquarium 1 TREE aquarium 2 Vintage Elegance TREE vintage elegance Survivor – complete with tiki torch, Immunity Idol and Tribal Council ballots for some of the more “famous” players! TREE survivor 1 TREE survivor 4 World Cup Soccer TREE world cup 1 Partridge In A Pear Tree – our first tree without a tree! TREE partridge in pear tree 2 TREE partridge in pear tree 1 Rainbow Pride TREE rainbow Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory… with the requisite Golden Tickets & Oompah-Loompahs!!! TREE willy wonka 1 TREE willy wonka 2 Groovy 60’s… cue the Austin Power’s Bossa Nova theme song. TREE groovy Road Construction TREE road construction 1 Chicago DIBS Snow Parking – just shovel your parking space and throw in a lawn chair!!! TREE winter parking 1 TREE winter parking 2 Spring Showers TREE spring showers 3 TREE spring showers 2 TREE spring showers 4 The Red Dragon Smaug  – protecting his treasure much like the latest installment of The Hobbit movies. TREE hobbit smaug 1 TREE hobbit smaug 3 I Spy… a visual scavenger hunt throughout the tree! TREE I spy Tinker Toys – the classic wooden toy revisited. TREE tinker toys 1 TREE tinker toys 2 Deck Of Cards TREE deck of cards 1 Tetris – a nod to the Nintendo classic video game. TREE tetris A Fourth of July Picnic… what picnic is complete without fireworks… and ants?!!! TREE 4th of july 1 TREE 4th of july 6 TREE 4th of july 4 Breakfast At Tiffany’s TREE breakfast at tiffany's 1 TREE breakfast at tiffany's 3 TREE breakfast at tiffany's 2