Windsor celebrates Charlie Brown’s iconic Christmas tree

The rain stopped and skies cleared Sunday afternoon just in time for dozens of people to comfortably decorate the Christmas trees in the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove on the Town Green.

“It cleared at 2 p.m. There are 208 trees this year, and it keeps growing,” said Craig Schulz, son of the late Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz as he stood with other family members next to the tree from Snoopy’s Home Ice rink that is adorned with Peanuts characters.

The tree decoration was scheduled rain or shine, as all the trees must be decorated by 5 p.m. Thursday, when the Town of Windsor holds its holiday celebration and tree lighting on the Town Green.

The trees from Oregon arrived in Windsor on Nov. 23 and were stored on the private property of a member of the Rebich Construction company in Windsor until 8 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s a wonderful community event and a nice way to bring the community together,” Karlene Rebich said.

The wood barrels that contain the trees were donated by UpTick Vineyard in Healdsburg and Fritz Winery near Cloverdale, said Karen Alves, the event’s organizer.

“This is not a Town event, this is 100 percent volunteer,” she said.

After covering costs of the event, now in its sixth year, proceeds from selling the $50 trees go toward the Windsor Education Foundation.

“The biggest cost is the lighting,” said Michael Alves.

This year, LED lights dangling like icicles from the trees in the sycamore grove create the effect of falling snow. Snow machines trigger daily flurries at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

People come from great distances to see the snow and trees in the grove, Michael Alves said.

Businesses, private and public school classrooms, churches, families, nonprofit groups and others sponsor and decorate the trees. Businesses are encouraged to sponsor trees for classrooms or nonprofit organizations.

This year there are two memorial trees for the recently departed, three honoring veterans and one from a San Francisco convalescent home.

There are trees from “We Women Working on Wit in Wine Country,” the Redwood Empire Chinese Association and Internet Essentials, which created a “Jurassic Christmas” tree with photos of dinosaurs and a Menorah.

The trees are about 5 feet tall, and the iconic sparse Charlie Brown Christmas tree has its own special place in the gazebo in the Town Green’s center.

“The spirit of the Charlie Brown tree isn’t the biggest tree, it’s the one that is unloved,” said Michael Powell, founder of Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, who also is organizing the event.

“It’s always amazing. The reaction from the town is phenomenal. We hope it continues many more years,” Craig Schulz said.

The trees will remain in the Town Green through Dec. 31.

Contact Windsor Towns Correspondent James Lanaras at WindsorTownNews@gmail.com.