’tis the season. Now that we are pass Thanksgiving, the holiday season is upon us. Although it won’t be quite like it has in the past. Many towns are cancelling their usual events, such as Santa’s arrival, parades and tree lighting ceremonies.
And some towns have some unusual trees for the season. Here are few along with photos.
There is a stretch of Rt 20 in Kent County, MD between Chestertown and Rock Hall, near Chesapeake Farms, that the locals call Double Woods. For many years this area mysteriously is decorated. How long? From what I heard at least a dozen years. It first came to may attention around 2012/13. At times it’s just a some tinsel rope and a few Christmas balls hung on some of the bushes. Someone went to extremes in 2015 when this photograph was taken to create this wonderful view. I’ve been told that the decorating has already begun.
Cambridge first built their Crab Basket Tree in 2014. There are about 200 baskets in the tree. This photo is from 2017 when I first visited the tree. This past weekend the tree, located at the corner of Race and Gay Streets, went up to continue the tradition. I have not been in Cambridge in the evening to see the tree lights, but I understand that it looks amazing.
In 2016 the town of Rock Hall followed in the foot steps Cambridge and created their own Basket Tree. Although with a slight twist. They painted the baskets as a way to honor the heritage of the town and in memory of the the town’s residents. It began as one tree and has grown. This photo is from 2017 when the second tree came into being. How many trees will there be this year? We’ll just have to see.
The Queen Anne Waterman’s Association will be following the example of Rock Hall and will be doing their own decorated Crab Basket Tree this year. The tree is scheduled to for a tree lighting on December 5th in Grasonville.
Chesapeake City does a big job of lighting up their town. I have only seen the lights from the highway. I have though seen this Crab Pot tree at the inlet docks. I hope continues this tradition this year.
Chestertown’s tradition is to have Santa Arrive on a fire truck on the evening they light the lights in Fountain Park. For the past couple of years they have turned the fountain into a tree with the water goddess Hebe as the tree top. This photo was from 2018, the first year they did it.
I do know that all activities such as Santa arrival and the annual parade has been canceled in Chestertown, as has the Santa visits. The lights will still be on beginning tonight (November 27, 2020), but I it doesn’t appear as if the fountain will be turned into a tree this year. Whether they do or not there is this memory.
Are there other places that have this sort of non-traditional tree? Maybe they should be term Traditional trees since they are part of the the town’s history. I am sure that there are, I just haven’t had the pleasure of seeing and photographing them. I may go exploring this Holiday Season to discover a few more.
If your town on MD Eastern Shore, or anywhere on Delmarva, has a non-traditional Holiday Decoration, I’d love to know. Please send me an email at Photos@ShoreToBeFun.com
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Steve Atkinson
