Foothill Flowers’ spectacular Christmas tree

Tree at Foothill Flowers

To our family, a decorated Christmas tree is the highlight of the holiday season. As a child, I remember sitting under ours, staring up at the colored lights and glass-blown ornaments. (A favorite, and my son agrees, is “Icicile Man.”) Some ornaments date back to the turn of the century, when my grandmother was a girl in Park City, Utah.

In the foothills, our favorite Christmas tree is the one at Foothill Flowers in Grass Valley, an institution since 1966. Freshly cut in the nearby mountains, the uniquely decorated tree (a silver-tip fur) is a longtime tradition at the Johnson’s family owned shop — well known for creating exquisite floral displays year-round, with flowers from the San Francisco flower mart.

We’re not the only admirers. “I just stopped by to see the tree,” said a woman who came by the shop on Monday.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the tree at the family owned florist. It is 26 feet tall and decorated in silver, appropriate for 25 years. “It’s always a pleasure to bring this display to the public,” Owner Marie Johnson told me. “And so many people come to see it, because it brings them pleasure.”

The Johnson’s put up their tree the weekend before Thanksgiving, in time for downtown Grass Valley’s Cornish Christmas celebration. It stays put until after New Year’s.

The dénouement, if you will, is the Santa Lucia celebration, where visitors gather around the tree for a traditional Scandinavian holiday pageant. Santa Lucia Day is celebrated in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Italy.

This year’s celebration — now in its 23rd year — is on Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. at Foothill Flowers, 102 W. Main St.

Santa Lucia was born in Sicily and burned at the stake by the Romans in 304 AD for giving her entire dowry to the needy and for unwavering belief in Christ. Legend has it that Santa Lucia’s apparition appeared in later years to stop a famine in Sweden with gifts of food.

Students from Yuba River Charter School and Nevada Union High School will present the pageant this year. The Legend of Santa Lucia will be narrated for the 23rd straight year by David Breninger, former Grass Valley City Administrator.

For more information, call 530-273-2296.

Foothill Flowers
102 W. Main St., Grass Valley
FoothillFlowers.com

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