Official Milwaukee Christmas tree harvested; meet the donors

Talking about the Christmas tree that is on its way, or officially now, in the cheer district. Just has to wait to be decorated. So I wanted to get you guys involved in the conversation here. This is our question today. How soon are you getting your Christmas tree up? Your options. It's already up. This weekend, the day after Thanksgiving or in December. Okay, so right now in December is currently winning with 75% of the votes. The day after Thanksgiving is in second with 25% of the votes. You can, of course, vote in our poll by heading to fox6now.com slash poll. Or you can just scan that QR code that is right there on your screen on the top right corner. I have to vote because I love Christmas. So I'm going to be putting my Christmas tree up this weekend, which I know my best friend hates. She thinks that you need to give Thanksgiving its moment. And then once Thanksgiving ends, you can put your Christmas tree up. I argue that Thanksgiving is a day within the Christmas season, so I want to put up my Christmas tree, and then come Thanksgiving, I will go big, and I will celebrate, and we'll have the feast, but then right back to Christmas the next day. So I need my Christmas tree up. I love getting to decorate, and that is on my kind of agenda for my weekend plans. Okay. You guys are tuning in here, and I appreciate that I've got some fellow Christmas lovers tuning in right now to Fox 6 Now. Some votes certainly coming in for it's already up and this weekend, but in December, still winning there with 47% of the votes. So again, if you would like to cast your vote, I know you thought the election was over. We still need your votes, but this time in our poll, just head to fox6now.com slash poll or scan that QR code. We will check back in on your answers in just a little bit. But of course, we were talking again about the city's Christmas tree being harvested earlier this morning. We followed its journey on a flatbed truck all the way to the Deer District. And now we're actually being joined with the couple who donated that tree this year. Want to go ahead and bring in Joanne and Al's son. Thank you both so much for taking the time to chat with us here on Fox 6 Now. Okay. So a couple of months ago, the city opened up nominations. They said, if you have a tree that you think would be good for this, or should I say after you see it, what made you guys kind of want to submit your tree? Well, my uncle originally gave me that tree about 30 years ago, we figured. And I was looking at the tree lately thinking, hmm, it's getting kind of big. And last Christmas, some of my family was looking out the window and said, have you ever thought about donating it? And so in April, I made the call. And what was your reaction when you learned that the city had selected that tree to be this year's tree? Well, we both think it was really, really a beautiful tree, but we were pretty darn excited. I'm excited. Okay, so what was it like today? You had the mayor in your yard. You had Bingo in your yard. What was that like? It was fun. We had a lot, a lot of family in the yard too. It was just a really good time. We had cupcakes, and it was just really fun to watch and exciting. Nice to have the family over. Our alderman was here. A lot of neighbors came over. It was a lot of fun. I always am so impressed with the process by the city. They really know what they're doing when it comes to cutting down these giant trees. Again, yours was what, 40 feet tall. So it's so impressive how they can handle it all. Was it sad at all? I mean, you have 30 years of memories with this tree. Was it sad to see it go or are you just excited for the city to get to enjoy it? Well, you should know that tree has always been decorated for Christmas because I, too, Haley, really, really love Christmas. So it started out with little red bows and it moved on to string lights and then we just started projecting the lights onto it. But you were kind of right. When the chainsaw started up, I thought, I'm just a little bit sad. I have a feeling that when you're in the cheer district for the Christmas lighting, that hopefully that joy will come back. Are you excited to see this tree professionally decorated now? Totally excited. Totally excited, yes. So lately, it's just been lights I've been reflecting on the tree, but it'll be beautiful to see all the ornaments and everything that the city puts out. And it's a fitting way for the tree to be the city's Christmas tree, because it's always been one here. Yes. Oh, absolutely. Again, it's had a lot of memories for your family the last 30 years, now the city, and all of us get to enjoy it as well since you did donate it here. How cool is it, though, to have Bingo in your front yard? I love Bingo. He's like my favorite. It was great. The grandkids and the kids that were here really loved interacting with him and taking pictures. And even our dog, Sophie, got into the picture with her. Bingo and your dog. That is perfect. Anything else you guys wanted to say about this kind of experience of submitting your tree, having it selected, and now it's officially in the Deer District awaiting being decorated? Not really, but we're kind of with, It's, um... as far as your poll, it's right after Thanksgiving, we put up our tree. Actually, my wife puts it up, but it's a 14-foot tree in the house here. Wow. Okay. So you, you won't have your 30 or your 40 foot tree outside, but you'll still have a. 14-foot tree inside. I love that you guys love Christmas the way that I do. And I, again, think that so many people in the city will now get to appreciate your tree since you donated it. Certainly, it was fun this morning to get to follow its journey all the way to the Deer District. That is Joanne and Al's son joining us here on Fox 6 Now. A big thank you to both of them taking the time to chat with us. And speaking of our poll, let's take another look here at the. results. How soon are you getting your Christmas tree up? Day after Thanksgiving. Now leading the poll with 41% of the votes. We have in December in second place with 29%. It's already up in third with 25% of the votes. And this weekend sitting in last place with 5% of the votes. But whoever else has selected that, know that I am right there with you. I'll be getting my tree up this weekend. Of course, if you would like to participate in the poll, just head to fox6now.com slash poll or scan that QR code in the top right corner to vote.