100 years of a much loved tradition

By Editor | December 20, 2022 |

By BETH ZUMWALT

Saturday, Dec. 23, will be Griggsville’s 100th Community Christmas Tree. Carly White and Amber Lambeth are taking the event over after a two-year hiatus due to COVID.

“We didn’t want to see it die,” Lambeth said. “I remember going when I was a kid.”

The program takes approximately 30 minutes. It is for Griggsville area families and multiple generations of children have attended.

“I took it over from Jerry Allen approximately 30 years ago, “Becky Turnage said. “I decided I was too old to do it any more and was excited when those two said they would do it.”

The evening starts with some of the children singing and adults can join in also,” Turnage said. “When I was a kid, almost every kid in school attended, with their parents. The kids would go to the classrooms and then the teachers would lead them in.”

Turnage said the Masons started the tradition back in 1922.

“The first two years it was held in the Mason Hall,” she said. “After two years they moved it to the gym at the school.”

“A local church is usually asked to give a short, maybe 10 minute program,” Lambeth said. “Then we have a community sing.”

“Given the short notice, I don’t know if we will be able to get any of the churches,” Lambeth said.

Since the event is called the Community Christmas Tree, it has to have a tree.

“We broke down and bought an artificial one a few years ago,” Turnage said. “If you go back through the history, there was a tree committee and members of the community would go out in search of a tree, chop it down and bring it in.”

According to Turnage, the Mason’s had a huge chimney and at one point through out the evening, Santa would pop out of the chimney and wave to the crowd.

“They stopped doing that,” Santa said. “I guess they thought having Santa climb up a ladder propped against a cardboard wall wasn’t the smartest thing.”

Now Santa comes up the stairs from the locker room and greets the crowd, usually accompanied by an assistant, maybe a snowman or an elf or Rudolph.

Children will receive a candy cane from Santa’s assistant, a candy bar from Santa himself and then the American Legion hands out apples and oranges.

At the conclusion of the program, children ages 0 to fourth grade are invited to pick out a toy from the 10 tables of toys set up in the gym.

As Turnage and her husband, Wayne, along with Lambeth discussed the event, they reflected back on their memories of a time when they attended the event and the Turnages recall taking their kids.

“We want to keep it traditional, but change it up a little,” Amber said. “This year for the first time ever Miss Griggsville Marissa Sheurman, and Miss Perry Raven Martin, will read the Christmas story.”

The program would not have lasted as long as it has with out the support of the community.

“Older people, who remember it from when they were kids or they had kids, who enjoyed the program send in donations,” Lambeth said. “We have also received a lot of assistance from Dollar General.”

Turnage agreed.

“Dollar General calls us when they have toys buy one get one free,” she said. “We can got a lot for less money.”

Lambeth said she hopes the event can continue.

“We wanted to do a family event,” Lambeth said. “It’s good for community memories.”