With upgrades, ‘world’s tallest’ Christmas tree returns
ENID – The “world’s tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree” has found a home once again on the Oklahoma plains.
However, this 140-foot-tall “Christ Tree” has come to Enid with “reinforcements” designed to help it withstand Oklahoma winds.
Many steps have been taken to avoid a repeat of last year when a cold front brought high winds that broke off the top portion of the 2021 giant tree, said Kyle Williams, president of Jiffy Trip and founder of “The One,” a 40-day Christmas extravaganza in downtown Enid.
The weather-related incident and subsequent repairs drew the attention of numerous news outlets across the country and helped boost the tree’s fame. Smiling, Williams said he would welcome another round of intense media attention this year but hopefully not for the same reason.
Along those lines, he said there were “lessons” to be learned from the toppling of the tree top last year. Adjustments have been made to better prepare the 2022 tree for its debut on Friday and beyond. The tree will be the highlight of “The One,” with a tree-lighting ceremony and other activities aimed at reminding people that Jesus is the reason for the season of celebration.
Changes from the outset
Recently, Williams and his wife, Carol, watched as crews used boom lifts to gain access to the huge tree and decorate it with 20,000 multi-colored lights and 10,000 ornaments. The couple and their children came up with the idea to bring a large fresh-cut Christmas tree to Enid in 2021. This year, like The One’s inaugural year, the Christ Tree came from California, specifically Shasta-Trinity National Forest. And this year’s tree, like last year’s tree, is significantly taller than the famed Christmas tree in New York City’s Rockefeller Center, a Norway Spruce which is 82-foot-tall.
Kyle Williams, 60, said the first big change that was made was the timing of the tree’s arrival. He said last year’s tree arrived in Enid in mid-October, more than 30 days before The One’s opening night on the day after Thanksgiving. Thus, it faced the elements for a lengthy period of time. By contrast, this year’s tree arrived in Enid by truck on Nov. 14, making it susceptible to the Oklahoma weather for less time.
Williams said more guy-wires were purchased this year to help secure the huge tree. A guy-wire is a tensioned cable, wire or rope used to brace, guide or secure structures like radio towers and electric poles. The businessman said the tree also was boosted or reinforced with more steel this year as compared to last.
“We just learned we needed more, so like I said, it’s a learning process,” he said.
Along with those adjustments, came some improvements.
Crews planned to decorate the tree with about 10,000 more twinkling lights because it is “more bulky” than last year’s tree, Williams said, and the tree base is larger in circumference than last year. Probably, the most notable improvement, the Williamses said, is that the 2022 Christ Tree will feature a star at the top on opening night, unlike last year. A star was only put on the tree top last year after the tree had been damaged and the top had to be repaired.
Also, the 2022 event cost less, the couple said. The One’s 2021 debut cost an estimated $500,000, paid for by Hammer Williams Co. and community partners. The couple declined to share the cost of this year’s event. However, they said it was a less expensive venture because they did not have to make the kind of initial investments that were required in 2021. Nicole Winfield, a spokeswoman for The One, said this year’s top tier sponsors include Jiffy Trip and Takkion, along with an estimated 100 community sponsors.
Kyle Williams said ultimately, there’s no guarantee weather won’t somehow impact the tree this year. Carol Williams said she’s hoping the divine will help with that.
“We learned we need to pray for low winds,” she said.
Expecting more visitors
Kyle Williams said about 35,000 people visited Enid to see The Christ Tree in 2021. He’s expecting more, perhaps 50,000 or more, to make their way to this year’s event because there is more awareness about the giant tree. He said last year, a military couple stationed in Germany learned about the Enid event on German television.
This year’s tree in Enid also is gaining acclaim. As recently as Monday, an Enid resident told the Williamses that one of their relatives saw a story about the tree on local news in Chicago. Williams said The One, coupled with Main Street Enid’s “Enid Lights Up The Plains,” is a family friendly celebration of Christmas.
“It’s something good, and we need something good in the world today,” he said.
Clarence Wallace, 72, of Enid, stood watching crews place decorations on the giant tree, along with his son Rusty Wallace, of Tulsa. As the men took pictures, they talked about the impact that “The One” activities and the Christ Tree seemed to have on the Enid community.
“It’s just really nice,” Clarence Wallace said. “You know, it brings the community together, and it’s something we all look forward to.”