Surendra Ullal
CHICAGO: More than 90 Christmas trees and religious displays that show different ways of celebrating the holidays are on display in the downtown Chicago office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.
This is the 15th year of “Christmas Trees from Around the World,” the display of three-foot-high trees which are decorated by members of ethnic and religious communities – India and Indians included – to represent their heritage. Also on display on counters in the Treasurer’s Office are a Christian Nativity scene, an African American Kwanzaa Kinara, a Hindu Prayer Thali, a Jewish Menorah and a Muslim Ramadan Mubarak.
“Diversity is one of the Chicago area’s great strengths. It is very powerful when people come together,” Maria Pappas said. “We see that unity in the way different ethnic groups decorate trees for the same vital holiday.”
The trees are adorned not only with ornaments, tinsel and lights, but also animals, flowers, fruit, balls, candles, plates, boats, stars, flags, dolls and other items. The display will be up from Nov. 26, 2018, until Jan. 2, 2019, in Room 112 of the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago.
The countries and traditions represented by the trees include: African American, Albania, Armenia, Assyrian, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Barbie Doll, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cajun-New Orleans, Canada, Canada-Quebec, China, Colombia, Cornwall, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Esperanto, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Native American, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, 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.
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