Museum Tree Show Features New Additions

The Scotland tree features tiny bagpipers and lots of red and green plaid.

The Guatemala tree has handmade rag dolls in traditional dress dangling among the branches.

So what did volunteers at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library choose to decorate the California tree in their collection of 30 Christmas trees? None other than Mickey Mouse tops the artificial evergreen.

Two hundred lights blaze on each of the 7-foot trees in the library near Simi Valley, and each tree has about 12 dozen ornaments chosen to represent 23 different countries, California and more or less whimsical themes.

“It’s my little baby, my little pet project,” said docent coordinator Eileen Kemp, who heads up the project.

Volunteers from Conejo Valley groups and other individuals do the actual decorating, but only after Kemp has spent the year discussing, pondering, buying ornaments, inventorying ornaments and, of course, research.

It’s a year-round job. Even now, Kemp, a retired history teacher, is making plans for next year’s display. “We always show 30, but we change them,” Kemp said. She buys all the new ornaments in April.

New this year are trees representing Argentina, Guatemala, India, Panama, as well as a whimsical view of the 1996 Olympics, the Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes and a tree commemorating Kwanzaa, the African American celebration. Also new this year is an model train running around the center of the room.

Kemp said that former library director Richard Norton Smith came up with the idea for the display three years ago. Originally, the trees were set up in the lobby and throughout the galleries. But that proved awkward with about 25,000 people visiting the exhibit, she said.

Because of the crowds, the display was moved to the auditorium the second year.

Although many visitors come specifically to see the tree display, Simi Valley resident Bob Riske said he came with his 7-year-old son, Jimmy, to see the museum as well.