A 48-foot white spruce tree arrived in downtown Stillwater’s Chestnut Street Plaza on Tuesday morning — just in time for the city’s annual Hometown for the Holidays’ Twinkle Party and tree lighting.

The tree was donated by Jeff and Missy Hause, of Somerset, Wis. This is the 10th year that the Hauses have found a large tree growing in the St. Croix River Valley, purchased it and organized its transport to downtown Stillwater.

Jeff and Missy Hause pose in front of the 48-foot spruce tree they arranged for Stillwater’s annual Hometown for the Holidays’ Twinkle Party. (Courtesy of Jeff Hause)

“Nobody was doing it, and we decided to take it on, and we’ve just really enjoyed doing it,” Jeff Hause said. “We thought it would be a fun thing to do for the community.”

Linda Besk Turrentine, the mother of Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski, actually made the initial request, Hause said. “She said, ‘You’re the only one I know crazy enough to take something like this on,’” he said. “It’s pretty funny because we actually have a fake tree at home.”

Jeff Hause said he was driving around Somerset Township, Wis., when he spotted the 48-foot tree on the edge of a field. He called a neighbor, asked if he knew the owners of the land, and got connected with them, he said.

A volunteer crew from Miller Excavating, Big Sky Crane and McCallie’s Tree Service helped cut down and transport the tree, Hause said. “It was quite the sight to see coming down the road,” said Hause. “I figured it would be 14 feet wide, but I think it was much wider.”

The city’s Twinkle Party will start at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Chestnut Street Plaza. Twinkle lights will be distributed, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will make a special appearance. The lighting of the tree will be at 5:30 p.m.

Other events planned in December: horse-drawn carriage rides, Victorian carolers and a gingerbread house building contest. For more information, go to greaterstillwaterchamber.com.

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