Christmas Tree Move Put On Hold

By Nancy K. Crevier

Hang onto those sheaves of Christmas songs, if you were planning to greet the new spruce in Ram Pasture with a little sing-along. Plans have changed since last week, said Christmas Tree Committee member Diana Johnson, enabling the committee to put off moving the new holiday tree to Ram Pasture until this coming September. “We thought we had to move the tree right away from where it is growing, but that has changed, so we want to wait,” said Ms Johnson.

Under the direction of Dan Dalton of Growing Solutions, another Christmas Tree Committee member, the organization had originally planned to move and plant the large spruce donated by resident Wayne Addessi on Tuesday, July 29. (See July 25 issue of The Newtown Bee, “Christmas Coming To Ram Pasture In July.”) By waiting until September when the weather is cooler, the tree’s survivability is greatly enhanced, Ms Johnson said. “It’s better for the tree so far as water and heat go to not move it during the summer. Now that we can wait, we think it is better to do so.”

The 85-foot tree that had reigned for more than 25 years at the annual tree lighting in Ram Pasture each December fell victim to high winds last March. A smaller pine planted nearby several years ago was planned to take the place of the Christmas tree, but has not yet attained the desired height, said Ms Johnson last week, so when the committee was offered a larger tree by Mr Addessi, they decided that replacing the original Christmas tree would be the best option.