Community celebrates 'United We Stand' tree
- Madison Bryan
- Dec 20, 2020
- 3 min read
The Branson community celebrated the first tree lighting of Branson’s brand new “United We Stand” community Christmas tree at the Branson Ferris Wheel on W. 76 Country Blvd.
“I’m here to officially welcome you to the lighting of the “United We Stand” tree. With all 50 states represented on this iconic tree and the love of country in our community we celebrate the Christmas season,” said Interim President/CEO, Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jonas Arjes. “For more than a quarter of a century, Branson has made its holiday lineup of events a treasured tradition as America’s Christmas Tree City. With that being said, I want to take (a moment) and say a special thank you to the Christmas Coalition and the investors for making this possible. Also, I want to thank the hard-working staff for the Chamber and CVB for jumping in and helping this become a reality.”
The “United We Stand” Christmas tree stands 39 feet tall, includes a six-foot, three-dimensional, LED starburst tree topper and displays in red and white letters at the base ‘PEACE HOPE JOY LOVE’ to “promote the universal message of the Christmas season”, according to the Branson Christmas Coalition.
“Merry Christmas everybody. Merry Christmas. Something like this doesn’t happen all by itself. There’s a lady that most of you would remember the name, Hillary, who said a few years ago that it takes a village to raise a child. Well let me tell you, it takes a community named Branson to raise a Christmas tree like this,” said Peter Herschend, co-founder of Herschend Family Entertainment and president of the Branson Christmas Coalition. “It takes a committee, the Christmas committee, to do all the work. Months of work and thinking to go into make this happen, and it takes a governor. I wrote the governor (Mike Parson) and I said, ‘look, we’re going to put up this tree and we’d like to have something from every state in this nation on the tree.’ And he wrote back and he said, ‘tell me what to do and I’ll do it’ and he did and you’re looking at it. There’s no tree like this in the United States of America except in Branson, Missouri: America’s Christmas Tree City. This is the tradition that we started years ago and it’s the tradition that we carry forward tonight.
“This is what it looks like when a community works together to make something really, really good happen. So, you’re part of it, the committee is part of it, all of us are part of it and let us just say that, thank God for Christmas.”
According to the Branson Christmas Coalition, the new tree “is expected to be a ‘must see’ addition and popular photo opportunity during the Ozark Mountain Christmas season this year.”
Area research has shown that for the 2018 and 2019 Christmas seasons, more than 45% of consumers who visited the area in November and December said “America’s Christmas Tree City” was very important in their decision to visit and 15% of visitors would not have come here without this appeal.
“On behalf of our team, thank you for coming out tonight and helping us celebrate as we light this tree for the very first time,” said Mike Patrick, general manager of Grand Country Music Hall and board member of the Branson Christmas Coalition. “I want to tell you just a little about the tree. We’ve named it “United We Stand” because it represents the unity of our country and our community throughout the Christmas season. All 50 states are represented on this tree, local organizations, businesses, artists and students created 50 unique ornaments to decorate these branches. Hundreds of area residents, employees and visitors signed the red ribbon that crisscrosses the tree from the very top to the bottom. On the bottom of the tree you find the words ‘PEACE HOPE JOY LOVE’ and that is our wish for the world this Christmas season.”
Visit BransonChristmas.org
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