Placerville scrambles to find new spot for city Christmas tree
PLACERVILLE — It's turned into a Christmas controversy in Placerville: where to place this year's Christmas tree for the city's annual tree lighting ceremony.
The problem has even led one councilmember to ask, in jest, "Why is Christmas so hard to plan in Placerville?"
Councilmember John Clerici posed that question while faced with finding a solution to what had become a pressing holiday problem.
"It was meant mostly because we had looked at every spot in town — and everyone had a problem — and at the end of it, you just get a little frustrated," Clerici said.
Placerville's traditional Christmas tree is on timeout this year after getting banged up by last year's winter storms. This week, the state denied the city's request to put its replacement tree at the courthouse, leaving little time for a Christmas-saving solution.
Ultimately, the city decided to place the tree in a parking space next to the historic Bell Tower.
Jeff Meader is the fourth-generation owner of the Placerville News Company, whose store will now sit right in front of the new spot the city has picked for its new tree.
"We thought it was going to be at the courthouse, but it looks like they're going to be right here in front of us," Meader said.
It's a solid ending to Placeville's Christmas tree saga.
"At the end of the day, everybody comes together," Clerici said. "We'll put up a tree. We'll have a lovely tree lighting ceremony, we'll have a wonderful Christmas holiday and everything will turn out really well, just like a Hallmark movie."
The tree will be arriving on Saturday. Tree lighting is set for the day after Thanksgiving.