A spruce tree donated by a De Pere family is placed in front of Lambeau Field for the Green Bay Packers Festival of Lights, December 2, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A De Pere family’s holiday tradition will now be shared with the community.
Neil and Julie Basten donated their spruce tree to be the centerpiece of the Green Bay Packers’ Festival of Lights celebration.
The more than 50-foot tree was cut down from the Basten’s yard Monday on S. Rock River Circle and transported to Harlan Plaza to be displayed in front of Lambeau Field this holiday season.
The couple purchased the six-foot-tall tree 20 years ago, decorating it with their children for the holidays for many years. Now, the tree stands over 50 feet tall, making it difficult for the family to decorate by themselves.
“It’s bittersweet. This is one of the first trees we planted in the yard 20 years ago when we were here, it’s grown to the size that you guys can see and it’s just become too difficult for us to decorate throughout the years and we just thought maybe we’ll take it down or just submit it to the Packers and share with the rest of the community,” Neil said.
Once the tree is in its new place, crews will spend the rest of the week adding lights to it.
And Neil says crews may find a treasure or two inside the tree.
“It will be interesting because there’s actually a set or two of lights that I couldn’t get down a few years back so we will see if they’re still up there or if the squirrels got them or whatever so yeah, we do chuckle about that every Christmas when I don’t decorate it, like oh maybe that set’s still up there,” he laughed.
The tree will be lit for the first time during the Festival of Lights celebration at Lambeau Field on Saturday.
The free, public event features cookie decorating, holiday movies and cartoons, holiday card marking, photo opportunities with Santa Claus and area high school choirs performing holiday music.
The tree will be on display for the remainder of the holiday season.
As a thank you for donating the tree, the Bastens will receive four tickets to the Packers-Saints game on Dec. 23.
Comments