SPANISH FORT, Ala.—The hallways at Westminster Village—a retirement community in Spanish Fort—were fit for the holiday season for the sixth annual Festival of  Trees over the last two weeks.

Fifty-three trees adorned Westminster’s halls; many were painted to create a silver look with ornaments, garland, ribbon and lights, in honor of the facility’s 25th anniversary.

The trees were up for a silent auction  that ended Monday where proceeds will benefit the Spanish Fort Community Center and the Westminster Village Foundation, according to Kay Brown Korb, director of marketing at the village. Korb did not immediately return the Sun’s phone calls requesting event proceeds.

Tabletop trees were decorated with many themes in mind.

Along with the tree, the highest bidder walked away with a two-disc DVD collection tin from the movie.

“I just love Christmas and decorating these trees,” Huggins said of her third year participating in the Festival of Trees. “It really adds to this area and people really enjoy them.”

Huggins said she started with tan straw hats that she hand-painted red, used an ice pick to poke holes in the hat for the ribbon and feather and searched for unique red and purple ornaments to adorn the tree.

Huggins also decorated trees in the lounge area at the village, which comprised red wine colored ornaments and a silver tree to go with the event’s theme.

“I know the residents love walking by and seeing the trees on display,” Korb said. “It’s a really great time of the year for us.

“The trees just get better and better each year.”

Westminster resident Laura Ford said she enjoys the trees at Westminster during this time of year.

“It sure is going to be bare in here once they’re all gone,” Ford said. “They sure are beautiful.”

Westminster Village supplies the trees for the business to decorate and they choose their own theme.

This year brought trees decorated for Mardi Gras, fishing, kitchen gadgets, dogs, apples, spa, nutcrackers, nature and more.

Pat Herndon Event Planning created a nature-themed tree titled ‘Nature Rejoicing.’

Herndon said she spent about an hour decorating her tree, which featured fall colored leaves, pine cones, branches, starfish and tree bark right from her own backyard.

“I just love the natural look,” Herndon said of her nature-inspired tree. “It turned out so beautiful.”

Herndon was on-hand at Westminster Monday when the silent auction ended at noon in hopes she would come out as the top bidder on the Christmas Story tree, which she did win and walked away with a huge smile.

“My family and I just love the movie,” Herndon said. “We love Ralphie.”