How This Year's Christmas Tree Came to Be

On the night of Bristol Borough's Christmas tree lighting Annette Gottsabend’s Facebook page lit up with thanks from dozens of friends from the borough and surrounding areas.

Gottasbend, who has lived in borough for nearly all of her life, donated this year’s Christmas tree.

Her want to donate the 40-foot Fir tree that stood tall in front of her house on Cleveland St. started approximately two years ago.

Gottsabend had often wondered if the mammoth tree that stood outside her house might be a problem during rough weather.  

“After Hurricane Irene, I had a nightmare about the tree falling on the house and decided it was time to do something with it. Donating it to the borough for our annual tree lighting I thought would be perfect,” Gottsabend, said.

When Gottasabend heard the Borough Council was for looking someone to donate this year, she called the borough office to volunteer her tree.

With the “unbelievably professional help” of Jim’s Tree Service and the Bristol Borough Public Works Department the massive tree was moved to the front of Bristol Wharf a little less than two weeks ago.

“The holidays are all about family and getting together. Bristol is my town and I wanted to give the community a gift. I’ve looked at the tree for a long time and knew it would look beautiful downtown,” she said with a smile in her voice.

And from the communities reaction during the recent lighting ceremony,  she’s right.

Carlos Rivera, a miltiary reservist and borough police officer, had the honor of lighting the tree.