You couldn鈥檛 blame Cory Young for appearing so surprised by the multitude of Christmas trees that awaited him at the Fairmont Empress on Thursday.
For the Seattle-based newlywed, whose family flew here from Chicago to celebrate his marriage to his Canadian bride, Brenna, their wedding day coincided with the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, after all.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect to see all these Christmas trees,鈥� said the dapper groom. 鈥淚n America, we don鈥檛 start thinking about Christmas Eve until after today.鈥�
Their fashionable entourage鈥檚 arrival a week after the 25th annual Victoria Festival of Trees got underway at the Fairmont Empress and the Bay Centre, with 85 trees combined, was a bonus, he said.
鈥淭his beautiful scenery has added to our wedding day,鈥� beamed Young, whose bride chose the Fairmont Empress as the venue for their 30-person wedding party.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful place. It has that old-timey kind of feel, but at the same time it鈥檚 kind of elegant,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we both immediately fell in love with it.鈥�
The sa国际传媒 Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation fundraiser invites visitors to browse and donate as they vote for their favourite trees creatively decorated by community sponsors, organizations and businesses.
Participants compete for the People鈥檚 Choice award by collecting votes and raising funds. A new feature, Text-To-Vote, now lets voters even text donations from their smartphones.
Funds raised, including $138,000 last year, contribute to the Excellence in Child Health Fund, which supports research into childhood diseases, life-saving equipment, rehabilitation and other hospital needs.
This year鈥檚 sa国际传媒 entry 鈥� an elaborate Grinch Whoville-themed tree displayed in the walkway between the hotel and Victoria Conference Centre 鈥� was selected as first place in the Judge鈥檚 Choice category.
Runners-up in this category were trees decorated by Save-on-Foods and Broadmead Care Society, with the Reid鈥檚 Choice award going to the Victoria Disabillity Resource Centre.
The Spirit of Giving category, which encourages team fundraising, recognized the Bay Centre, which donated $5,000 toward the purchase of new machinery for the hospital鈥檚 cardiology program.
Fairmont Empress director of operations Cole Millen said it has always been an honour for the hotel to participate in the holiday tradition.
鈥淭he Empress has been part of the community since 1908 and we have many traditions, and this is one of our favourites,鈥� he said.
鈥淧eople get to come and see what we have to offer, and we also get to give back to the community through sharing our property and our space.鈥�
There were plenty of American tourists in the hotel Thursday, including two men from Seattle who decided to celebrate U.S.聽Thanksgiving by treating themselves to the newly renovated hotel鈥檚 high tea.
鈥淚t鈥檚 Thanksgiving at home but we decided it would be good to come because it鈥檚 during a quiet period, and it鈥檚 not a holiday here,鈥� said Jason Hunke.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an iconic hotel. It reeks, in all the best ways, of the beautiful colonial vibe that is so wonderful in Victoria.鈥�
And no, they joked, they weren鈥檛 secretly plotting to move here because of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 victory.
鈥淣o, we鈥檙e just thinking happy thoughts while we鈥檙e here,鈥� quipped Rich Nolle.
Ryan and Marie Herdt, visiting from Puyallup, Washington, encountered the festival trees while here to celebrate their 15th聽anniversary.
鈥淲e鈥檙e Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses, so we really don鈥檛 celebrate Christmas,鈥� said Ryan.
鈥淏ut we do think they鈥檙e beautiful,鈥� added Marie, noting it was the couple鈥檚 first visit to sa国际传媒.
Their itinerary included high tea, a 鈥渇ood crawl,鈥� checking out local castles, shopping and 鈥渟oaking up everything Victoria has to offer.鈥�
The couple was relieved that because of their beliefs, they wouldn鈥檛 have to weigh in on Trump鈥檚 election victory.
鈥淥ne thing about Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses is that we鈥檙e politically neutral,鈥� said a smiling Marie.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 affect us one way or another,鈥� said Ryan. 鈥淲e put all our faith in God and believe He is our Saviour.鈥�
