Imperial embraces a new Christmas tradition
IMPERIAL — The Christmas tree set up outside City Hall here is quite different compared to the ones that have stood in years past.
With limited resources due to the recent state wildfires and the impact of COVID-19, the city of Imperial managed to put up an alternative to its traditional live Christmas tree.
The 2020 tree is a large green pole flowing with decorative lights.
While it has a glowing star at the top of it like most Christmas trees, it could be more accurately described as a “Christmas arrangement,” as opposed to a tree. In any case it was the object of a virtual tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 14.
The ceremony was livestreamed via Facebook and closed to the public. It represented a consolation of sorts after the rest of the city’s holiday events – Parade of Lights, Christmas in a Small Town event, a public tree lighting ceremony and a December Market Day event — were all cancelled this year.
Out-of-the-box thinking for an unprecedented year was put forward during the City Council’s Nov. 18 meeting.
City Manager Dennis Morita shared that the city has historically had a live tree in front of City Hall and, over the last 10 years, has spent a couple of thousand dollars annually to acquire such a tree.
“That doesn’t include the staff time associated with going to get it, and utilizing city resources to get the tree, set it up and all of that,” he said.
Morita estimated the city has spent somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000 throughout the past 10 years (excluding staff time) on live trees.
The City Council was presented with an action item that would allow the city to purchase an alternative tree as opposed to a live one.
“We’re obviously concerned with the fires and everything else that’s been going on in the last several months,” Morita said. “Our search, so far, has not disclosed that a live tree of the size that we would prefer is even available. We, obviously, again, thought that, with the fires, that if there was something available, it would be substantially more expensive.”
Morita said the city considered all options, from industrial to commercial, for an alternative.
While it may be a longer-lasting option, a commercial-grade artificial tree would, in fact, come with a hefty price tag, he noted. A tree of the appropriate size would be in the vicinity of $25,000, he said.
“I don’t think we could justify spending $25,000 on a fake tree,” Councilwoman (now Mayor) Karin Eugenio said. “And who knows what it would look like in 10 years. I have this vision of this very haggard tree trying to survive our really hot summers.”
With a live tree or an artificial tree not being a viable option, Morita gave the city’s vision of what could be done instead.
“What we’re thinking, at this point, is getting lights and a pole and doing something in the shape of a tree — much like we’ve seen IID do over the years,” he said. “And, of course, a big version of that would be, the SeaWorld display. We’re not talking SeaWorld, but something of that.”
With the council’s unanimous approval, the city was allowed to use anywhere from $1,000 to $30,000 to purchase the needed supplies (the pole and the lights) to create the alternative tree.
“We would anticipate the cost being more in line with what we’ve done in the past with the live tree, if that much,” Morita said of the cost.
Morita said the city has the space to store the proposed decoration, and that it would be built to fit the ground base already installed in front of City Hall that has been used for Christmas trees.
Councilman Geoff Dale shared his delight for the alternative tree.
“It’s kind of like the first year that my wife and I were married,” he said. “We were broke — kind of typical of newlyweds — and we did cranberry and popcorn around the Christmas tree.
“I think that sometimes things are gifted to a person when they don’t really realize it,” he continued. “And, by not getting a tree, maybe there was a reason for this. We’re all going to need this. This has been one rough year, so I think this is a great opportunity for all of us.”
Along with the tree lighting, the December 14 ceremony included Eugenio reading “The Night before Christmas” to a group of young girls and the musical duo Lorenzo and Kelley playing live Christmas music.
A Santa Claus tour concluded the ceremony. Two Imperial County Fire Department engines guided Santa through the city.
Before outgoing Mayor Darrell Pechtl put on the red-and-white suit and a fake beard on top of his own to be Imperial Santa, he gave a speech at the start of the Facebook livestream.
Pechtl observed that the city’s 2020 tree was not cut down from a forest, but it was, instead, created by the hands of the city’s hardworking employees.
“A tree that’s been designed and worked on by our staff for quite a while, so they could bring it to you and give it to you as a gift,” he said to viewers.
To end his speech,
Pechtl called for a moment of silence.
“Let’s be grateful and let’s take a moment, and just give silent thanks for all the gifts that we have; all the blessings that are a part of our lives, and all the ways we’re finding to love and live together this year,” he said.