The Spruce an Illinois Family Planted After a Grandfather Died in 2004 Will Light Up Chicago as Its Christmas Tree Nov. 20
Chicago will switch on the lights of its 113th city Christmas tree at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 in Millennium Park, and the tree started as a small sapling handed to a family after a funeral. The nearly 50-foot Norway spruce was donated by the Clark family of Campton Hills, a northwest suburb, according to a release carried by Travel PR News.
Its story goes back to Nov. 7, 2004, when Peter Refieuna, the grandfather of Amanda Clark’s husband, died. The family received a small sapling in his memory, kept it in a pot for a while, and planted it in the yard in spring 2005.
A funeral-home sapling that grew for 22 years
NBC Chicago reported that the funeral home gave the family a 6-inch sapling as a remembrance after Refieuna’s death in November 2004. According to the station, Amanda Clark’s husband planted it, and the tree stood in the front yard for 22 years.
The city’s release says the tree now honors both Refieuna and Amanda Clark’s late husband, Michael Clark. Clark described the donation to NBC Chicago as “a gift of remembrance” that is now a gift to the city.
That is a long way for a seedling to travel. A tree that began at about 6 inches is now close to 50 feet tall, and it spent most of those years as an ordinary yard tree in a suburban front lawn.
Picked from 108 submissions
The city received 108 submissions this year, NBC Chicago reported. Neal Heitz, director of event production for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), called the Clarks’ spruce “absolutely beautiful.”
The tree was cut down on a Monday, lifted by crane onto a flatbed truck, wrapped and secured for the trip into the city. The release says it will stand near Michigan Avenue and Washington Street through Jan. 10, 2027.
What to expect on lighting night
The ceremony runs from 5 to 7 p.m., with the official lighting at 6 p.m., the release says. The Clark family will join Mayor Brandon Johnson, DCASE Commissioner Kenya K. Merritt and Santa Claus for the switch. Ryan Chiaverini and Val Warner are the hosts.
Grammy-winning singer Lalah Hathaway is among the performers, alongside the Knott Us Band and Joshua’s Troop. Ballet Chicago will dance selections from The Nutcracker, and fireworks will launch from the Chicago Cultural Center.
Admission is free, with security checkpoints. The Monroe and Randolph gates open at 3 p.m., and bag checks apply to everyone. The ceremony is broadcast live on ABC 7 Chicago and city channels, and Wells Fargo is the sponsor.
Road closures, a holiday market and the ice rink
Several downtown streets close on Nov. 20, according to the release. Washington Street between Wabash and Michigan avenues and Garland Court between Monroe and Randolph streets close at 7 a.m. Michigan Avenue between Monroe and Randolph and Madison Street between Wabash and Michigan avenues close at 10 a.m. All stay closed until 11:59 p.m., and the city suggests taking the CTA to the Adams or Washington stations.
A holiday market with more than 40 vendors runs on the North Promenade from Nov. 20 to 22, open noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens on Nov. 20 and runs through Jan. 31, 2027, weather permitting. Sessions are 90 minutes and need an online reservation. Skate rentals cost $18 Monday through Thursday and $22 Friday through Sunday and on designated holidays.
Why a Norway spruce suits the job
Norway spruce is the kind of tree that grows into a city centerpiece. The Morton Arboretum lists a mature height of 40 to 60 feet and a fast to moderate growth rate, and says the species is native to northern and central Europe. That fits a tree that went from 6 inches to nearly 50 feet in about two decades.
NC State Extension describes Norway spruce as a traditional Christmas tree in Great Britain and the most widely used spruce in North American horticulture. It also notes the tree has shallow roots and does best in cool climates, which suits a Chicago winter display. The University of Minnesota’s tree guide adds that the species can serve as a specimen tree in a yard or park, and lists the same 40 to 60 feet at maturity.
Other communities have also watched a yard tree become a holiday landmark. In Michigan, a crane came for a Mesick woman’s front-yard spruce, planted as a birthday gift, and Rockefeller Center’s head gardener spotted a 76-foot spruce in West Edmeston for New York’s.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Natasha Jelezkina from Chicago, USA – CC BY-SA 2.0/Wikimedia Commons
