It will be a special start to Wrangell's holiday season

The community is climbing up the right tree as it prepares to celebrate an early start to the holiday season Oct. 25-27.

The borough’s economic development team, the Nolan Center, chamber of commerce, U.S. Forest Service and other branches of community service are going all out to deck out the weekend as Wrangell will for the first time see and then say goodbye to the special tall tree that will truck its way to a spot on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

It’s not going out on a limb to say it’s a big deal for the town.

This year’s Capitol Christmas Tree will come from the Wrangell Ranger District of the Tongass National Forest. After it gets to Washington and is stood up on the lawn in November, it will be covered with several thousand ornaments made by Alaskans. Add in the other holiday trees that will be stationed and decorated around the capital city and the count comes to about 10,000 Alaska ornaments, of which more than 2,000 were handmade in Wrangell.

To ensure that the tree gets a fitting send-off and is spruced up for its journey, the October weekend’s organizers will hang a banner on the tractor trailer so that anyone can write a message or sign their name. The banner will ride along for the two-week highway journey to Washington — after a barge trip out of Southeast first.

The pre-holiday weekend in Wrangell will include music and food; games, a fun run and other activities; a blessing of the tree by the Wrangell Cooperative Association; and will team up with a Halloween party at the Elks and the chamber’s annual Pumpkin Patch event for children to select their favorite one for carving.

And though the three days will show just a tip of Wrangell’s pride in the hometown spruce, the event organizers have some great ideas. The plans are taking root and growing.

Of course, rather than needle our neighboring communities for losing out on the honor of providing the Capitol Christmas Tree, the weekend celebration organizers invite others to make the trip to Wrangell. Everyone is welcome to come — just no taking a bough.

- Wrangell Sentinel