New Merry Maple Tree enjoys its first festive December celebration

This year, on December 3, the lighting of the famous Merry Maple to kickstart the holiday was different, featuring an all-new Merry Maple tree.

According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Merry Maple “celebration began in 1966, was paused during the energy crisis of the 1970s, and the large tree remained lit until 1995, when a smaller tree took its place through 2014. That was when the Amherst Business Improvement District restrung the original to return it to its previous place of prominence.” 

However, that original tree was cut down last November after tree Warden Alan Snow and the Shade Tree Committee determined the tree was not healthy and “should be cut down to make way for a $1.8 million overhaul of the greenspace,” also according to the Gazette. 

In addition to lighting the new tree, celebrants checked out decorations and music and enjoyed refreshments. Amherst BID executive director Gabrielle Gould said that “we heard from everyone involved, including members of the Shade Tree Commission, that this year’s Merry Maple is arguably the best.”

Gould said they use new lights every year after removing them in March from the Merry Maple and the trees in Kendrick and Sweetser Parks, for the health of the trees. “We use a lighting company and this year we had extra sponsors, so we were able to go a little bit bigger and brighter,” she said. 

She also said this year’s event ran smoothly due to other changes. “From the event perspective, using the South parking lot and placing the fire truck on Boltwood as opposed to on Main Street” meant less traffic and “a safer, more festive location.”

“Families and children had more space to run and play and with the arches placed on the Main Common it all felt bigger,” she said. “This year we also added the fire pits and more kits so even with a little light rain, our community lingered longer and enjoyed the lights well past the lighting.”

She said attendance was high based on a few factors. “We had an extra team of horses and our sales of cider, donuts, and s’more kits for $1 each were our best yet, so we think this was a great year for [participation],” she said. “All in all, we felt very Merry about the lighting, the location, the tree, and the arches.” 

The only thing missing? Snow. “We were hoping for some snow to make it even more beautiful,” she noted.

Many ARHS students attended the event, including senior Delia van Giessen and a member of the Shade Tree Commission, senior Julian Hynes. While van Giessen said she “really liked the old Merry Maple,” she noted that she also “liked the new one!”

“It was very colorful and there were brighter lights,” she said. “The lights were more concentrated together as well.”

Music teacher Kara Bear had a wonderful time at the event but said the weather was a slight drawback. “The people I was going to meet didn’t come,” she said.

However, she was glad that people turned out for the school’s music contributions. “People still went to the middle school chorus concert at the Maple,” she said. 

Hynes loved the event and the new tree. “The new Merry Maple was pruned and likely now will have improved health due to the increased attention,” he said. “And I was impressed by the addition of the fire buckets at the celebration that allowed folks to warm up and roast marshmallows!”