New Haven Holiday Tree Arrives on Historic Green from Branford

After two weeks of preparations, and hours of labor, the New Haven Department of Parks and Recreation, and Department of Public Works have cut the holiday tree they’ll display this year on the New Haven Green. 

It arrived on the historic New Haven Green and was lifted into place around noon.

The tree was cut from Elizabeth LaPointe’s yard in Branford earlier that morning. 

The 65-foot-tall Norway Spruce weighs more than 10,000 pounds has been on her Branford property for more than 50 years. 

“Well that’s not my tree anymore,” LaPointe said. “It’s New Haven’s.” 

LaPointe’s husband and a neighbor planted the tree and her family decorated it for the holidays for two years, until it became too big. 

It’s massive size caught the attention of New Haven Parks and Recreation, according to manager Bill Carone. 

“Staff members drove by this tree a couple of months ago, and it was one of our top three, and we decided to go to this one,” Carone said. 

"We look for a lot of the same things that homeowners look for in their tree," said Rebecca Bombero, director of New Haven Parks, Recreation, and Trees Department.  "You want something that is straight and tall and full."

LaPointe was surprised when the department came knocking at her door because she thought someone had made a complaint about the tree. 

“I thought, ‘Why are they here?’ Then he said something about, ‘Well, did you call a couple of years ago to have it out as a Christmas tree on the New Haven Green?’ Then it dawned on me, yes I did,” she said. 

LaPointe said she’s looking forward to seeing the tree lit for the first time on Nov. 30, but is more excited about the future of her giving tree. 

She’s been told that when it comes down after Christmas, it’ll be used to, “make park benches, lumber for Houses for Humanity. So that, that makes me happy,” she said.

The tree will be decorated over the next couple of weeks with 30,000 LED bulbs in time for the tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, November 30.

You can watch the tree lighting live on NBC Connecticut.  The event will also stream live on nbcconnecticut.com and in the NBC Connecticut app.

NBC Connecticut is proud to be the official television partner of the New Haven Green's winter festivities.

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