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Cottonwood Heights Journal

Holladay City Lights Up Its Christmas Tree

Nov 28, 2014 03:33PM ● By Tammy Nakamura

This tree, donated by Kathryn Nielson, will soon be covered in Christmas lights in anticipation of Holladay City’s tree lighting ceremony.

The switch was flipped to illuminate Holladay City’s Christmas tree on Monday, Dec. 1. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. at the Holladay Village Plaza, 4660 South 2300 East.

The tree lighting ceremony included free hot cocoa and cookies. Santa and Mrs. Claus were also there to visit with children. 

This is the fourth annual event, but this year, new shops and restaurants will be open at the plaza for the estimated 300 people who are expected to attend.

This year the tree comes from Kathryn Nielson’s yard. She is a longtime Holladay resident who said the tree was planted almost 30 years ago after it served as the Christmas tree in their home. 

“We called the city to see if they would like to use our tree because we needed to cut it down.  It was blocking much of our patio.  But the city said it already had a tree.  Then, we got a call that they wanted our tree and they showed up to cut it down a couple of days later,” she said.

Nielson doesn’t know the exact age of the tree.

“We don’t remember the exact year it was our Christmas tree, but we counted 30 definite rings after the tree was cut down,” she said.

Nielson said the tree was originally 6 feet tall. “But it grew and grew and grew and covered half of our patio.”

Nielson said they planted the tree too close to their home and now, without the tree, the yard looks pretty bare.