This week we transitioned from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  We have less than a month to decorate, eat to excess, and buy all those gifts for under the tree. 

My hometown of Enid, Oklahoma started a new tradition this year.  A Christ Tree (The One). A 140-foot fresh cut tree set up near the downtown area at our local Stride Center (4) Stride Bank Center | Facebook. In recent years Enid’s downtown has been transformed into shops and restaurants, even a new hotel in an effort to bring in tourism. And this year it was the tree.

The tree, trucked in from California and paid for by local businessman, Kyle Williams, came in looking a lot like Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree. And then, like the one in the Peanuts comics, it came to life with a little love and decorations.  Actually, the tree arrived without all its limbs. But they were provided when the tree company stood it up, drilled holes in the trunk, and inserted the limbs it needed. It was then painted green with a preservative that should make it stay nice until the end of the Christmas season. Enid’s Tallest Christmas Tree – YouTube

Then Friday night after Thanksgiving Enid had the tree-lighting ceremony complete with live music, fireworks, and an ice-skating rink. It was estimated that some 30,000 people were in attendance for the ceremony.  Enid only has a population of 50,000.  I wasn’t down there fighting for a parking place, but however many people were there, the local restaurants could hardly keep up. Maybe The One will bring in tourism.  KJ’s Big Adventures -The WORLD’S TALLEST FRESH-CUT CHRISTMAS TREE. – YouTube

Enid is a medium-sized town with a small-town atmosphere and big-town ambitions. The tree will be lit each night through New Years and along with the other decorations downtown will provide a festive atmosphere. Come to Enid and check out “The One.” And be sure to eat at our restaurants and explore at our businesses.  We’d love to have you.

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