MILWAUKEE — Well if the snow didn’t put you in the holiday spirit on Tuesday, maybe this will. Wednesday morning, the Milwaukee Department of Public Works harvested the 2023 City of Milwaukee Christmas tree.
The story behind the massive 38-foot-tall Colorado Blue Spruce is even more impactful than just the tree itself.
"The previous owner planted both these trees for him and his brother," tree donor, Denise Blue, said. "He's a twin and his brother died in the military."
When Denise Blue, the current homeowner bought the home in 2001, she had no idea these trees would end up meaning so much to her and her family.
"It's so ironic that I'm a twin and also a veteran," Blue said. "So there's some kind of value behind it, so like I don't want my trees to go but right now for the city of Milwaukee, a donation, I'm doing it."
Blue said her nephew Alonzo Miller Jr. brought the idea to donate the tree to her. They said every move since then has exceeded their expectation.
"We were actually shocked when they picked out the tree to be selected. Like wow our tree is really going to be downtown full of decorations this year. It's so crazy."
The official City of Milwaukee Christmas Tree was harvested and taken to its new home in front of Fiserv Forum.
The official City of Milwaukee Christmas Tree has just arrived to Fiserv Forum and the “Cheer District”🎄 @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/LpawIaDATo
— Sydni Eure (@SydniEure) November 1, 2023
While only a small slab of the tree still remains with the family, the impact of it will continue to grow.
"I am so privileged and overjoyed that the backstory is there," Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. "That these trees were planted in the remembrance of someone who served. Now will continue to serve and give back and continue to give back to our community in some fashion by bringing our city together with the city Christmas Tree."
Boughs from the tree will also become the special ingredient in this year's Black Husky Brewing Holiday Spruce Beer.
"It's similar to using hops which is another botanical that you put in beer that makes it bitter, give it some flavor," Tim Eichinger, co-owner and Brew Master at Black Husky Brewing, said.
Proceeds will go to the Milwaukee Urban Forestry Fund and is set to be released on December 9th. Miller Jr. said it will be just in time for family gatherings.
"I'm glad it can bring like everyone, the whole city together like it did our family," Miller Jr, said. "We're big on coming together for the holidays so I'm just glad it could do that for the whole city."
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