Over 200 people gathered to see the six tall pines near the King Spud sign on E. Airport Road in Blackfoot light up, visit with Santa and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies — reviving a tradition that had previously been suspended due to COVID.
The new tradition now also includes a smaller tree planted this year in front of the row of pines. Earlier in the evening school children gathered to hang the decorations they had made on the tree that is their size. Once decorated the tree provided sparkle and color for all of Santa’s visitors that gathered around his chair, another new addition.
The tree lighting tradition was revived thanks to Casey Nelson, a Blackfoot resident that wanted his newborn baby to enjoy the lights of the season as she grows.
He told Mayor Marc Carroll that Blackfoot will have a tree lighting night again and asked what he could do to make it happen. Carroll jumped at the suggestion. He had been wanting to bring back the lights and community gathering.
The city invested about $6000 to lay the electric conduit, buy the lights, and pay Erik Beck’s Santa’s Magical Lights company to hang the lights. Each year Carroll hopes to expand the line of lights at Veteran’s Park, inspired by Shelley’s light display on Highway 91.
Once it was dark the crowd sang a few Christmas songs, welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Claus and then counted down from five to signal “throwing the switch” that would light up the trees. Spontaneous applause erupted when the lights turned the dark to light — creating a many-colored row of Christmas magic.
The lights will remain on during the dark hours of the Christmas season. Plenty of time to drive by or to stroll under the trees, though you won’t find Santa — he is busy elsewhere.