Annual Douglas Christmas tree lighting helps kick off holiday festivities
- Ellie Ruel
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Residents turn out to watch branches light up before joining others to ice skate with Santa
By Ellie Ruel
Juneau Independent
Douglas residents sparked their festive spirit with an annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony on a chilly Friday evening, marking the shift into winter celebrations.
“It’s kind of the kickoff to the holiday season,” said Maggie Swanson, president of the Douglas Fourth of July Committee, which organizes the event every year. “The lights will stay on through the holiday, so people can take pictures with the lights, like when it starts to snow, then it’s beautiful.”
This year, the spruce tree growing in the Douglas Community United Methodist Church courtyard was decorated by employees with CBJ Parks and Recreation and lit by members of the Juneau Disc Golf Club.
The committee has been hosting the event annually for over 25 years, as part of their celebration of the two holidays when workers at the historic Treadwell mine were allowed off work in Douglas during its 40-year operation.
“Miners got two days off a year, that’s all. So don’t complain about the jobs that you have now,” Swanson said, prompting some laughs from the crowd. “In those two days, the whole town was quiet, the stamps all shut down, the whole town was quiet and got to celebrate.”
After the lighting, the assemblage of about 25 people sang carols and headed inside the church for cookies and hot beverages, and many continued to the Santa Skate at Treadwell Arena. A few stayed behind to take photos among the brightly glowing branches with family and friends.
Liz Balstad and her daughter, decked out in lights of their own in the form of colorful Christmas bulb necklaces, handed out flashlights and sheet music to attendees who wanted to sing. For Balstad the tree lighting has been a staple for years, and her daughter Laurie used to help out with the Santa Skate.
“I used to bring her when she was a little baby, but this year is the first year I’m volunteering as a helper,” Balstad said.
Emily Delgado has been watching the tree lighting for all of her 19 years growing up in Juneau.
“It’s kind of like tradition,” she said. “You get to see all the people in the Douglas community come together to celebrate the holidays.”
• Contact Ellie Ruel at ellie.ruel@juneauindependent.com.
