BLOOMINGTON - When asked to design a tree reflecting Festival of Trees theme of "the greatest gift of all" many settled on the same thing: peace.

"It (the theme) could be a number of things" said Di Shepherd, spokeswoman for of The Baby Fold, the agency sponsoring the 15th annual fundraiser at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., Bloomington.

"It's whatever it means to you. It could be something you received when you were younger. It could be a gift that you gave to someone else. It could be the birth of Christ.

"A lot of people talk about family, especially having family home this time of year close to the holidays."

Peace was a repeated theme, showing up in The Bloomington-Normal Association of Realtors' trees, which held white doves, fleece and ribbon in their branches.

The birth of Jesus Christ apparently was the inspiration for the tree sponsored by Lincoln College, which had a handmade, wooden German nativity candle arch at the base.

At Thursday's public opening of the event, Analesa Rackouskas of Bloomington gazed at a 10-foot tree containing dolls from around the world. Each doll was encircled by a ribbon containing the name of its country and the word for "peace" in that country's language.

She held her 14-month-old son, Paxton, in her arms and pointed out the doll from Lithuania, telling him that that is where their ancestors originated.

Earlier, Paxton walked excitedly around Jingle Bell Junction, the room filled with activities geared toward children.

Paxton's favorite part of the children's area was the "talking tree" of stuffed animals, said his mother. Children could approach a microphone near the tree, ask questions and receive answers from a speaker that sat nearby.

Four-year-old Olivia Kawakita sang "Jingle Bells" into the microphone. Olivia's father, Chris Kawakita of Normal, said the festival is a "great way to jumpstart the holidays. And it's for such a good cause."

The Baby Fold, a Normal-based nonprofit agency, serves more than 1,000 families every year with residential treatment, family and community services and academic services for children.

The goal for this year's festival is $170,000.

Olivia said her favorite part of the festival was telling her holiday wishes to Santa Claus. She said she told him that for her the greatest gift of all would be a sewing machine.

Wildly popular was a 22-foot-high inflatable slide that was new to the room. Children excitedly climbed the stairs between the two slides and then descended.

Rackouskas steered an intrigued Paxton from the slide, telling him he's too small and will be able to enjoy it next year.

But, she said, the carefree ambiance of the room is what appealed to her the most.

"The fact that kids can run around and not break anything, for me that's the best," she said. "It's like a winter playground for them."

Five-year-old Isaac Rakstad looked with his 3-year-old sister, Millie, at a gingerbread house made by the Bloomington Area Career Center.

"Look! Santa!" said Isaac, looking at a gingerbread Santa sitting in a gingerbread sleigh.

"Oh, look! Marshmallows!" said Millie, excited about the multicolored marshmallows which lined the gingerbread roof.

"This is our newest tradition," said their mother, Paula Raskstad of Normal about coming to the festival.

"It's our kickoff," said their father, Joe.

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Festival facts

What: The Festival of Trees, the major fundraising event for The Baby Fold.

When: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Saturday; 9 am.-5 p.m. Nov. 23

Where: Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., Bloomington.

Tickets: $6 in advance and $7 at the door for adults and $1 for children ages 3 to 12.

Contact: (309) 451-7254 or www.FestOfTrees.org.

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Highlights

Concert Among the Trees, 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday with recording artist Matt Larson; $15.

BroMenn's Spirit of Women holiday style show and lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21; $35.

Avanti's family night, 5:30 to 8 p.m. today (Friday); $10 for adults and $3 for ages 3 to 12.

Community Thanksgiving worship service: 10 to 11:15 a.m. Sunday; free.

Sunday brunch, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday; $20 and $7.