MARBLEHEAD — The town’s annual Christmas tree burn, which traditionally occurs on Jan. 6, has been canceled at the request of the fire chief.
With coronavirus restrictions still in place, the decision to call off the popular town event was made last week, according to Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland.
“It was canceled obviously for safety reasons and (to cut down on) social gatherings,” said Gilliland. “We certainly don’t want to have a nice event turn into something tragic, so we decided to postpone the tree burning for this year.”
The event, which dates back to the 1940s, has become a popular tradition in town, said Gilliland, noting that there was a big push to bring back the tree burning several years ago after it had been halted for a brief time period to allow for construction on the causeway.
Several hundred people flock to the Christmas tree burning each year, which, although not a religious event in itself, is traditionally held on the Epiphany, a major Christian celebration that is observed on Jan. 6, Gilliland said.
Approximately 1,000 trees are burned in a giant bonfire on Riverhead Beach each year, a spectacle that is observed by residents looking to escape the cabin fever that comes with being trapped inside during the cold winter months, Gilliland said.
“It’s one of those events people can come out to and gather, (to) enjoy the warmth and the bonfire,” said Gilliland. “There’s not a lot going on in the wintertime. It’s an event that can bring people together.”
While residents will not be able to see their trees burned at Riverhead Beach next month, they will still be able to dispose of their Christmas trees in the usual fashion this year.
From Dec. 28 to Jan. 15, the town’s highway department will pick up trees left outside of residents’ homes, which will then be taken to the transfer station, Gilliland said.
Residents will be responsible for taking their Christmas trees to the transfer station after Jan. 15.
Rather than burning the evergreens, the town plans to hire a company to come in and grind the Christmas trees once they are all piled up at the transfer station, Gilliland said.
While the event may have been canceled this year, Gilliland said the fire department is hopeful that the arrival of the new vaccines will allow for the tree burning to resume in 2022.
“Hopefully, we’ll be back to the tradition,” he said.
