Season of Light

Visitors invited to see Christmas trees from around the world brighten the office of County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas invites visitors to see nearly 100 Christmas trees and other displays that celebrate cultural diversity this holiday season.

This is the 20th year of “Christmas Trees from Around the World,” a display of three-foot trees. Members of various ethnic and religious communities decorated the trees to represent their heritage. A Christian Nativity scene, an African American Kwanzaa Kinara, a Hindu Prayer Thali, and a Jewish Menorah are also displayed.

“This celebration of diversity marks its 20th year as a Chicago holiday tradition,” Pappas said. “People working or shopping downtown are invited to visit the Treasurer’s Office, see the beautiful decorations and learn how different cultures celebrate the holidays.”

The trees are adorned not only with ornaments, tinsel and lights, but also animals, flowers, fruit, candles, plates, boats, stars, flags, dolls and other items. The display will be up through Jan. 2 in Room 112 of the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark Street, in Chicago. Countries and traditions represented by the trees include African American, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Assyrian, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Canada-Quebec, Carpatho-Rusyn, China, Colombia, Cornwall, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Eritrea, Estonia, and Ethiopia.

Also represented are Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Native American, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Wales.