CHICAGO: More than 90 Christmas trees and religious displays that show different ways of celebrating Christmas are on display in the downtown Chicago office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.
This is the 14th year of “Christmas Trees from Around the World,” the display of three-foot-high trees which are decorated in Pappas’ office by members of ethnic communities to show their cultural heritage. Presentations from other religious traditions are included.
“Diversity is one of Chicagoland’s great strengths and can mean unity,” Pappas said. “We see it in the way different ethnic groups decorate trees for the same vital holiday.”
Ornaments, tinsel and lights are augmented with animals, flowers, fruit, balls, candles, plates, boats, stars, flags, dolls and other items on the trees in Pappas’ office. The display will be up through the Christmas and New Year holiday period in Room 112 of the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago.
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.
The countries and traditions represented by the trees include: African American, Albania, Armenia, Assyrian, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Barbie Doll, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cajun-New Orleans, Canada, Canada-Quebec, Carpatho-Rusyn, China, Colombia, Cornwall, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Native American, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam and Wales.
Ramesh Soparawala
India Post News Service
