Festival benefits area charity

Children and their families gathered Thursday at the Hilton in Costa Mesa for the first Share Our Selves Adopt-a-Family Festival of Trees.

People bid on trees, some of which were decorated and sponsored by celebrities such as Anjelica Huston and Merv Griffin. Children had a separate room, where they could decorate a Christmas tree, ornaments and cookies or play with Santa, leaving their parents to the bidding.

The money raised will benefit the Adopt-a-Family program at the Costa Mesa-based Share Our Selves clinic, which helps about 1,200 families in need of extra help with gifts, food and clothing during the holiday season. The program has existed for about 36 years.