As the new oak trees were planted at Toomer's Corner on Valentine's Day, generations of Auburn fans gathered around them to see tradition being planted. Edna Fellows Christmas is 101 years old and calls herself one of Auburn's oldest fans. "I saw them cut the trees down, and I wanted to see them put them back up," Edna Fellows said. "I was so proud to see them go back up. I think they're gonna be great." Edna Earl Christmas, her daughter, said everyone in her family except Edna Fellows had attended Auburn University, though Edna Fellows said she may as well have gone to Auburn from all the time she's spent around it. "It's almost like good overcoming evil," Edna Earl said. "It's showing the Auburn spirit is not to be denied. We're going to stay in there as a family and make it work." Laura Champion and Shy Slaton, parents of another Auburn family, said they have ties to the University and hope their children will attend the school as well. "We're really hopeful they go to Auburn," Slaton said. "That would mean a lot to us." Slaton said she hopes Max, 5, and Lucy, 3, will appreciate being present for a major moment in Auburn history, even if they are too young to understand it. "If they grow up here and they end up going to Auburn, they'll look back on this," Slaton said. "How many kids can say, 'I was there the day the old trees were rolled the last time, and I was there when the new trees were put in?'" Champion said even if their kids go to the University of Alabama, their kids will still have been present for a major moment in Auburn history.
Frost Rollins, adjunct professor of architecture, said her children were less interested in the new oaks than they were in Aubie and the chocolate ice cream she bought for them. Rollins said her twins, Rose and Farryn, 4, have a warped sense of other Auburn traditions. "When we won the Iron Bowl, they went out on the field after the game," Rollins said. "Rose was asleep, but Farryn was dancing around like crazy. So now, after every football game, they think that's what happens. They don't understand that was a once-in-a-lifetime thing." Rollins said she appreciates how well the University has turned around Toomer's Corner with the new oaks. "I think they've done a great job of turning it into something that invigorates everyone," Rollins said. Champion said she appreciates the tradition above all. "For us, it's all about family tradition, and the Auburn Family is an extension of our family and always will be," Champion said. "To be able to pass that onto (our kids) so they can have that kind of love from the beginning of their life -- it's important, at least to us."
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