A Milwaukee family is spreading holiday cheer by donating their 38-foot Colorado blue spruce to the city for the 112th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Kaitlyn Schmidt Thabet, Amgad Thabet and their dog, Zelda, watched as crews carefully removed the towering tree from their property Wednesday morning.
“It was all out of a whim. We were just, you know, in the spirit of the moment,” Amgad Thabet said.
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The tree is now being displayed in what city officials are calling “Cheer District” for the holiday season. The 38-foot spruce is significantly shorter than last year’s 64-foot tree, but Chris Kling, urban forestry manager for the city, selected it anyway.
“It’s got everything we look for: size, shape, color, access,” Kling said.
For the Thabet family, donating their tree represents their deep connection to Milwaukee.
“Milwaukee means a lot to us. It’s where we met, it’s where we got married, it’s where we started our careers — our young professional careers — and still are here. So it’s really cool to get to give back and let it sparkle in Cheer District,” Kaitlyn Schmidt Thabet said.
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The couple is already looking forward to the holiday season and seeing their former backyard tree illuminated in front of Fiserv Forum. Amgad Thabet said he’s particularly excited about how the tree will enhance this year’s Bucks season.
“Extra special, for sure. So Giannis, I need some tickets,” he added with a laugh.
The official tree lighting ceremony will take place Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. in Deer District.
This story was originally published by Meryl Hubbard with the Scripps News Group in Milwaukee.
