Milwaukee City/County Christmas Tress a special century old tradition

The Milwaukee City/County Christmas tree has been a favorite holiday tradition for more than a hundred years. One-hundred-one to be precise.

But before you get to experience that spectacular moment when the lights of the Christmas tree brighten up the night at Red Arrow Park this year, there is quite a lot that goes into making that holiday magic happen.

\"The process starts with the tree selection,\" said City of Milwaukee Forestry District manager Randy Krouse. \"Any resident in the city of Milwaukee has an opportunity to donate a tree for the City/County Christmas tree. And then we make a final selection of that.

CBS 58 was there on South Whitnall Avenue, when the crane came in and the chainsaws revved up to cut down this year's tree.

\"The city is taking it,\" Claudine Gorlick told CBS 58 of her donated tree being harvested. \"And they're going to plant it downtown, and let the whole city celebrate.\"

Once the cut was made, the crews secured the 38-foot Colorado Blue Spruce for a ride to Red Arrow Park.

The Milwaukee City-County Christmas tree has long served as a sign of the holiday season in Southeast Wisconsin. Gorlick provided this year's prized tree, and she had a very simple reason for wanting to give this gift to the entire community.

\"It's Christmas, and you need a tree for outside,\" Gorlick plainly stated. \"And they [the City of Milwaukee] do a fantastic job of decorating and the whole affair is memorable.\"

We all get to marvel at the beauty of the tree once it's decorated and the lights have been lit. The crew who helped transport the evergreen, from where it was planted to the new location downtown, benefit from a great takeaway because of the role they play.

Krouse said, \"We feel very proud of this. And the homeowner that donates the tree feels very proud as well.\"

The 101st Milwaukee City/County Christmas tree lighting is Thursday, November 20. Festivities start at 4:30 p.m., and the actual tree lighting will happen between 5:15 to 5:30 p.m. The folks who donate, transport and decorate the Milwaukee City-County Christmas tree are making Milwaukee great.