EDITORIAL: You Can Blame Elorza for Many Things - A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree is Not One of Them

EDITORIAL: You Can Blame Elorza for Many Things - A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree is Not One of Them

Much criticism has been levied this week on social media about the Christmas tree erected at Providence City Hall, ahead of the official lighting ceremony Friday night.

Admittedly, it looked pretty paltry when it first arrived. With scores of missing branches, it made Charlie Brown’s tree look pretty good. 

So just how does Providence get its holiday timber?

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Each year, the city makes an appeal to the public, months ahead of time, for a larger-than-life pine to grace City Hall’s steps. 

Just how large? The search is for a tree 35 to 45 feet tall.

This isn't your family's tree strapped to the top of your car. 

The city incurs the cost of going to pick up the chosen tree; the owner gets featured along with a photo op during the lighting ceremony.  

The tree that will be on display this year at City Hall was donated in memory of Doreen LeBeau from the LeBeau family of Seekonk.

Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan will be on hand on Friday night for the tree lighting, which was held virtually last year. 

If you’ve ever had a Christmas tree -- at a fraction of the size that’s at City Hall -- that’s been absolutely perfect, never dropped needles ahead of time, then, well, consider yourself fortunate.

City of Providence employees have been working this week to fill out this year's extra-large tree with extra branches — literally, affixing additional greenery to make it look better for residents and revelers when the lights go on for the first time on Friday. 

It is far from perfect, but so is Providence.

Providence under the leadership of Mayor Jorge Elorza has its fill of problems to deal with. Elorza has been faced with -- and in some instances exacerbated -- significant issues from crime, failing schools, and homelessness, to potholes and graffiti.

The list of grievances is long. 

The delivery of a less-than-ideal holiday tree, donated during a pandemic -- which the city has worked this week to correct — is not one of them. 

“Nothing brings me more joy than our City’s holiday traditions, celebrated together with neighbors and loved ones,” said Elorza. 

“After a tough couple of years, our Art, Culture + Tourism department has been working hard to make sure this year’s celebrations have something for everyone, and I know this will be an unforgettable holiday celebration," he added.