HOUSTON — There are many families at Texas Children’s Hospital who won’t be home for the holidays, so volunteers brought the Christmas spirit to them this year.
More than 150 fully decorated trees were donated to create a Christmas tree farm inside the hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
Patients were able to pick their favorite tree for their hospital room with themes to bring joy to children of all ages.
Leah Ward wasn’t planning to decorate this year, since her 7-year-old son Jackson is in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant.
"It's just been hard to decorate. My husband asked if we want to take the tree down to decorate at home, and I said no. There's nobody going to be there. I don't see a point in it," Leah said. “Seeing everybody else put their heart and effort into all these trees. It really makes me want to get more into the Christmas spirit."
Jackson picked frogs and lizards for his 5-year-old sister who can't visit the hospital due to COVID restrictions.
"He did it for her. I'm not surprised, I just thought he would pick something more along his lines," Leah said. "It made me very happy to see him put himself aside for his sister.
A Grinch-themed tree was the choice of a girl going through her 8th round of chemo.
J+J Flooring donated the impressive Christmas tree farm to Texas Children’s Hospital.
"The way J&J Flooring mobilized a team of designers across the Houston area to create wonderful and unique trees for our families is such a unique donation and we are so incredibly blown away by their creativity," said Julie Griffith with Texas Children's Hospital
This may not be where these families would choose to spend the holidays, but it was still a chance to make memories they'll cherish forever.