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Artificial Christmas Tree to be featured in Light up Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Christmas is creeping up fast in Downtown Louisville.

"I actually forgot that Thanksgiving is coming up soon, I've just skipped right past that,” said Claire McCormick with Louisville Metro’s Marketing and Special Events.

The ice rink on Jefferson is almost ready for people to skate and all that's missing, really, is the tree.

“I guess they say the bigger the better,” said Adriana Long.

However, don't expect the 50-foot real tree this holiday. After weeks of thinking it over, Louisville Metro has decided to go artificial this year.

“We needed a crane, we needed to get all of the light and everything in here, and it was just not going to happen that way,” said McCormick.

They did call for a 40-foot tree, and tree farmers answered that call. McCormick says none quite right and to buy one would cost more than $30,000.

“Fourth Street Live has graciously donated a tree for us to use and decorate,” she explained.

It’s one that will have to be assembled, not delivered, which will help avoid what happened in 2006 with the cities most famous and maybe most beloved tree.

“Everyone has reminded me of that,” McCormick said.

Here at WHAS 11 News, we like to call it the Charlie Brown Tree and here's why: So big it was flown over, dangling under a military helicopter from Indiana, the tree was dropped to the ground and then it fell over in a storm. It was certainly not the most attractive Douglas Fir this city has ever seen.

“Well, it could've been that year again,” said McCormick.

This year, the people of Louisville aren’t too bothered by an artificial tree.

“Maybe that's okay that it's an artificial tree,” said one resident Candy Medina.

“It's all about the celebration of Christmas for me,” said resident Tim Morris.

Sure, some will certainly miss a real tree, but at the end of the day, people agree, it’s about being thankful for what we do have.

“At least we have a tree,” said Long.

Assembly for the artificial tree will begin on Sunday and the big reveal at Light-Up Louisville will be the Friday after Thanksgiving on November 25, 2016.

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