SeeCalifornia.com

Practically every city in California has a holiday tree with lights and decor. The community comes out to celebrate the chosen tree which may be living, cut, or artificial. The community tree lighting ceremonies began this week and will continue into the first & second week of December–you won’t see them again till late 2013. There are lots of stories surrounding community trees that are selected and decorated. Some have acquired names such as “Charlie Brown Tree“, indicating such trees are in need of some sprucing up. Others are precious national landmarks, such as the Nation’s Christmas Tree, General Grant, which is one of the biggest redwood trees in the world. Each year the Sanger Chamber of Commerce takes a bus into the Sierra mountains, visiting  Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park to place a wreath next to the commanding giant estimated to likely be several thousand years old. In the Victorian village of Ferndale on the Redwood Coast they claim to have America’s tallest living Christmas tree which stands tall at the end of town, visible from most locations.  Holiday tree lightings can be stand-alone events, or tied to parades and other holiday celebrations.  Some of the more unique places to see community Christmas trees are at beaches such as Crystal Cove State Beach or Manhattan Beach where the only type of tree you’d normally see would be a palm.  We’ve been working hard to finish the tree lighting ceremony list but here’s the list to date.