Christmas Tree Display Brings Holiday Cheer and Good Tidings

“O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree, how so many you are. O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree, how your show starts Sunday, Dec. 1.”

Yes, Sunday, Dec. 1 is our annual Christmas Open House at the Courthouse Museum featuring 78 trees with themes from “Santa’s Little Helpers” (Los Banos Church of Christ) to “Like Snowflakes We are all Different” (Challenged Family Resources Center). We have decked the halls of our historic courthouse for the 35th anniversary of the Christmas Tree display.

Since 1984, Christmas Open House at the Courthouse Museum has been a Merced tradition - from your home to our courthouse. So, on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m., the public is invited to experience a community Christmas at the Museum with trees, treats, and Christmas music.

In Merced County, our museum may have the largest Christmas tree display in modern-day but, historically, Castle Air Force Base holds the record for having the most trees — over 150 of them in 1960. Starting as the Air Corps Basic Flying School in 1941, the airfield in Atwater was later renamed Castle Air Force Base in honor of Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle who was killed during a mission on Christmas Eve 1944.

For the Christmas season of 1960, just like anything in the military, the precision of preparing for a Merry Christmas was down to the smallest detail. To decorate the airfield with fresh-cut trees, the Base was in full “combat” mode when it organized a special tree detail from the 93rd Combat Support Group. The special Christmas tree unit under the supervision of the U. S. Forest Service Office at Mariposa spent two days in the Chowchilla Mountains of the Sierra National Forest selecting and cutting trees.

As the trees were brought to the Base, they were placed in the hospital wards, dining halls, service clubs and squadron dayrooms, and the alert area. Interestingly enough, the alert area during this era was in the form of a Christmas tree, so how perfect it was to have a Christmas tree inside another Christmas tree.

In addition to serving the airmen and their families, the Base also shared its holiday cheer with others from the San Joaquin Valley, including children from the Faith Home for Boys in Merced County, the Fresno Nutritional Home, the Sunbeam School in Madera, and the Whitmore School in Ceres. The Base even provided meal tickets on Christmas Day to needy families so they could enjoy delicious turkey, ham, and all the trimmings at the mess halls.

Sometimes it is not the quantity but quality that makes the difference. In this case, one single Christmas tree in the lobby of the Merced Post Office on 18th Street brightened the spirit of many. It can be lonely and hard for some during this time of the year if they are away from home, on the road, or at home alone. A visit to the Post Office may provide some comfort in one's heart and add a smile to one's face. Therefore, for years, the Merced postal employees decorated the Post Office into the most welcome business place in town, and this tradition continued in 1961 when they erected a giant Christmas tree under Dorothy Puccinelli’s “Vacheros” mural in the lobby.

The giant Christmas tree was purchased by the employees from their welfare fund. Even during the busiest time of the year known as the Christmas Rush, the postal workers were determined to make sure their customers felt the holiday joy and all areas of the Post Office were festive. Mrs. Velma Watson, Mrs. John Carr, and Mrs. Jim Oldenhage were among the many workers who used their own time to decorate the Christmas tree and the Post Office.

It was the kindness of people like these that brought good tidings to the community. Although these traditions may have been discontinued, (The Merced Post Office’s headquarters was relocated to M Street in 1966, and Castle Air Force Base was closed in 1995), the spirit of bringing the community together continues from our annual Hometown Christmas Parade to the Courthouse Museum’s Christmas Open House.

Please join us for our annual Open House on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. Our historic building will be filled with not only trees, but also the angelic voices or heavenly sound from the performances of the Central Presbyterian Church Handbell Choir, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School Christmas Choir, Harmony Valley Chorus, Caitlin’s Suzuki Violin Studio, St. Anthony’s School Choir, and Bear Creek Ukulele Society. The annual Christmas Open House is free to the public, and the Courthouse Museum is located at the corner of 21st and N Streets.

We at the Courthouse Museum would like to thank all the Christmas tree exhibitors for making this year’s display a great success. From the cute little handprints to the adorable fluffy alpacas, all the beautifully made ornaments showcase our participants' many creative talents and reflect their attitudes towards teamwork and collaboration. So teachers, don't miss this wonderful educational opportunity. Please call the office at 723-2401 to schedule a self-guided Christmas tour as the Museum will be open Monday through Friday mornings throughout December for walk-through tours. Friends, please support the Courthouse Museum by shopping at our store for holiday gifts. While you are here, be sure to visit our current exhibit, “Merced Irrigation District Centennial Celebration.”

This story was originally published November 28, 2019 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Christmas Tree Display Brings Holiday Cheer and Good Tidings."