MERIDEN, Conn. — The New Haven Green Christmas tree arrived at its holiday home Thursday after being cut down from a Meriden family’s front yard.
The family has a unique tradition of donating the giant Christmas trees from their yard on Evergreen Lane for a town to use in their big display.
Kelly Drapeau said it has been grown with love for the past 40 years, decorated, and now chopped down.
“A lot of memories and a lot of good times, just carrying on my parents tradition and their wish,” Drapeau said.
The cut doesn’t hurt as much since one of their family members is the one holding the chainsaw, the family told FOX61. Drapeau’s nephew works for the city of New Haven; she said he is the one who gets to help chop it down.
This all started when the family said their parents wanted a tree to be donated, just as they donated one years ago. Now, the family is carrying on that tradition by donating the tree that the parents planted years ago.
“It’s very special, one of their wishes before they passed on was to carry on the tradition of the tree even though it’s hard we still do it, but we make the tradition go on and on it will never be forgotten,” Drapeau said.
The 50-foot Norway spruce was brought to New Haven Thursday, but it won't be ready for show until the end of the month, according to New Haven Tree Warden Annie Mixsell.
“They will put about 30,000 lights on it, it’s strung very intricately with lots of zip ties, it’s a process for them to get ready,” Mixsell said.
Even though the Evergreen Lane yard looks a little empty, it won’t stay that way for long. Another Norway spruce will be planted in the yard in the next week to perhaps, one day, grow up to carry the family tradition.
“We are hoping so, whatever happens in 40 years, if they want to cut it down and donate it, I hope they do then just plant another one,” Drapeau said.
The official New Haven Green Tree lighting is on Nov. 30, but the exact details of the ceremony haven’t been released yet.
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.