80 shopping days left

CORONA DEL MAR — Looking beyond carved Halloween pumpkins, Roger's Gardens is set to show off its 2006 holiday collection today with 24 themed Christmas trees.

For the last two days, more than 1,000 preferred customers were able to mosey around and check out what they may want for their home come December.

"The themes are like childlike wonder," said Eric Cortina, the garden shop's creative director who helped develop the themes. "Unfortunately we think back when Christmas was full of awe and wonder and just to have that back for an hour or so while shopping is great."

Glass, glitter and paper designs by this year's featured artist Wendy Addison were paired with earthy items like pinecones to create a new spin on hip designs, Cortina said.

The store was going for a nontraditional but classy look at the front of the gallery with Addison's designs. But they haven't left out the traditionalists, with nutcrackers, poinsettias and garland.

The components of the trees and decor can be useful during other times of the year, said Christine Guin, the holiday and collectibles buyer.

Themes like "Pink Ice" have ornaments in pastel colors that could be used on chandeliers and in decorative bowls the rest of the year.