A huge thanks to all who participated in the down town trees! We really have such an extraordinary community here in Fillmore. A few years ago I was up in Sonoma for the holidays, and hearing they had trees down town, I thought I would see their event. Every tree was gorgeous, perfectly coiffed and lit spectacularly...it was really something to see in all its perfection, yet I walked away from it with an odd feeling of 'huh?'....

But walking down the street the other day I finally figured out what was bothering me then...as I passed the trees in our down town, each unique, most homemade, all put up with obvious joy...I realized what made ours different then the Sonoma production...our trees beauty came from our hearts, and to the hearts of our community!

The only 'rules' for our tree tradition are no glass, no electricity, and no flocking- and if you can make the ornaments homemade all the better...but recycling is also honored! Then it is keeping your tree 'spruced up' until they come down around New Years. This tradition had never been about the money, only the heart. I talked to Marie Wren to get the history of the Christmas trees downtown and up until 1950 there were two giant trees put on both sides of downtown- right in the middle of the intersections. But then someone crashed into a tree, so after that the Chamber of Commerce started the trees down the side walks. Some time in the early 1970s they just disappeared.

A few years back some friends were reminiscing at a FHS Alumni Banquet about 'the old days' and we wondered what happened to this tradition...so it was decided to get it up and going again. Every year it gets bigger and bigger in heart and in number of trees- so we hope to see more clubs, classrooms, churches and individuals participating next year!

A special shout out to Moon Nursery in Piru, who loans us the trees, drops them off and picks them up too- we couldn't have done it without your generosity! To Otto and Sons Nursery who is always there to help the details! And to Bank of Sierra who is always the first to take a tree, and also copies all the flyers for us. And to all of you who brought smiles to so many with a tree you decorated- you are why the community of Fillmore is so beloved!

Have a beautiful Christmas!
Regina Stehly