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LAKE CITY - It didn't take Nathan Reuber long to pick out his favorite Christmas tree at the Lake City American Legion Auxiliary's Festival of Trees Saturday afternoon.

The stuffed Winnie the Pooh in a chair next to the Lake City Library's tree caught the 3-year-old's eye, and as he moved from one tree to the next, the very real looking cookies and doughnuts on a tree created by Sweet Things bakery looked tempting, but it was the colorful lights, his reflection in the glass ornaments and maybe even the fact that he got to take one of the pens used as decorations on the tree created by Huss Furniture that won him over.

"I like all the colors," he said.

Kyle Rowan, 8, of Bedford, agreed and took a pen for himself, but said he knew what tree he'd pick if it were a contest.

"I like food," he said. "So I like the cookie tree. And if I could take a cookie, I'd like it even more," he said of the Sweet Things tree.

Even 1-year-old Clara Johnson, of Des Moines, seemed to have a favorite tree, which was complete with colorfully wrapped gift boxes to handle and a few small ornaments at just the right height that she could take them off the branches and put them back on again.

All three of the youngsters were in Lake City visiting their families over the long holiday weekend.

In all, 44 trees each uniquely themed and decorated line the city's American Legion community center ready to be viewed by the public on weekends through Christmas.

A tree created by the Lake City Pool Project committee decorated with inflatable pool toys, flip-flops and swimming goggles serves as a reminder of warmer days. Sparkling peace signs and silver ornaments representing peace on earth was created by Celebrations to Go. A tree featuring paper chains, stars and painted hand prints on construction paper was made by the Southern Cal kindergarten class. Several red, white and blue patriotic trees were featured that were designed by the American Legion Auxiliary and veterans organizations.

This is the second year for the Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Lake City American Legion Auxiliary.

"We take a free will donation," said Helen Schaffer, who has been a member of the auxiliary for 50 years. "And it helps to send a few high school girls to Girls State every summer."

The opening of the festival of trees was held in conjunction with the Community Betterment Group's Christmas on the Square festivities which featured several business open houses, a soup supper, Santa Claus, carriage rides, lighting of luminaries and an evening parade.

"It's been a tradition in town," said Jennifer Billhauer, Lake City betterment coordinator. "So many come home for Thanksgiving that it brings the most people to have it over Thanksgiving every year."

Contact Emilie Nelson at (515)573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net