World Photo by Lou Sennick Dozens of decorated Christmas trees are set up in the hotel lobby of The Mill Casino-Hotel. For the past several years, the hotel and the Bay Area Rotary Club have put on the Festival of Trees to auction decorated trees to benefit charities.

The trees are trimmed, the lamps are lit, and the bidding will begin Thursday at the annual Festival of Trees fundraiser.

Co-sponsored by the Bay Area Rotary and The Mill Casino-Hotel, this year’s fundraising auction features 25 fully decorated trees and four wreaths, each with its own theme and community sponsor. Tree and wreath themes range from traditional to whimsical, a press release said.

The auction festivities will begin at 6 p.m. in the Salmon Room at the casino.  A live auctioneer will start the bidding at 6:30 p.m. Jolly Rotarian elves will then deliver the trees on Friday. Successful bidders can choose to donate the tree to a needy family. The Mill Casino-Hotel underwrites the cost of the trees and wreaths, so that 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to local charities. In addition, all of the trees and wreaths used in this Bay Area fundraiser are purchased from local vendors. Dave’s Trees donates a portion of the tree cost to the Bay Area Rotary event.  The wreaths were purchased from the Lakeside Women’s Club.

This year’s contest winners are as follows:

n Best of Show: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Engles Furniture

n Best Use of Color: Red, White & Blue by Bicoastal Media

n Best Theme: Cowboy Country Christmas by Morgan Veterinary

n Most Original: Christmas by the Bay by Kitty’s Kitchen Christmas is Forever

n Most Whimsical: Pacific Northwest by The Mill Casino, Service Ambassadors

n Judges Choice: Days of Wine and Roses by The Mill Casino, Food & Beverage

n Best Wreath: Polka Dot Christmas by The Loud Lunch Society