My Visit to The Arc Tampa Bay Foundation's "Festival of Trees"

Though it was rainy and soggy outside, as soon as I entered the large auditorium I felt...Christmas. The holiday condensed to one place. No, not the North Pole, but instead the Festival of Trees--presented by Amerilife.

It’s a winding path full of people, from couples to children to the elderly, all moving around the gorgeous trees and wreaths. Almost every festive foliage with a sponsor and a price, so that anyone could take them home to make their holidays brighter.

As I got further in, I notice detail after detail. The first being ornate, well-made, miniature Christmas houses. Creating a feeling of not only a forest, but also an elven village. And then there were the shops, of which I discovered there were a few.

A place for candy, a place for what appeared to be decorations, and perhaps my favorite: a place for popcorn. Per my tradition of visiting the newest local events, I had to buy something, and I was pleased with my choice: Sweet – E’s Kettle Corn, who were nice enough to give me a sample before I eventually decided on buying some of their delicious cinnamon sugar popcorn. Which disappeared quite quickly once I shared it with my family.

Finally, towards the back of it all, past the kids sitting with Santa, and even more trees, there was a performance. At the moment I was there, it was a ballet, and it acted as a good conclusion to my visit.

And when I left, with a bag of popcorn in my hand, I stepped outside. And though it was still wet from the rain, I did not feel cold. I felt warm. The way only the holidays make you feel.