Belhaven's Singing Christmas Tree: Jackson's oldest holiday tradition turns 91
The 91st performance of the Belhaven University's Singing Christmas Tree returns for a two-day run on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2 at the university’s Belhaven Bowl Stadium.
For some, it's been a lifelong passion. For others, it's a beginning.
Belhaven graduate E. C. Harpe has been associated with the Singing Christmas Tree for more than 50 years after seeing the holiday event for the first time in 1967 at Belhaven.
“I came to Belhaven as a student in the fall of 1968, and as a music major you were expected to be part of the performance. After that I got to be part of putting it all together,” said Harpe, who now serves as the lighting coordinator.
Harpe said after all these years the "Singing Christmas Tree" remains one of his favorite annual events that he looks forward to.
“For me, this event indicates that the Christmas season has arrived, and it's time to start celebrating the season of Christmas and try to bring as much happiness to the community and the area,” Harpe said.
Harpe has seen most but not all of the performances. The first ever singing Christmas tree started in 1933 and is made of 40-foot metal and wood triangular tree shaped risers that holds more than 100 choir members on its branches singing. Not only will the tree participants consist of Belhaven choir students, but alumni and members of the community.
LED lights will change colors in various patterns and sequences with each different musical selection. Once upon a time, it was illuminated with candles. This is the Jackson's and the surrounding area's oldest Christmas event.
"The structure of the tree is very special; students will load onto the risers and will all be on different levels of the tree, and at the very top will be one single student as the tip of the tree," said Dr. Rebecca Geihsler-Chittom, chair of the music department for Belhaven University. It is her first year running the event.
This year's show will open with a two-part segment of popular Christmas tunes and medleys. The program this year will be spilt in half. The first half will consist of secular songs with a scripture reading following immediately after, then the second half will consist of sacred songs.
"Some of the songs this year are, 'Rocking Around the Christmas Tree', 'Jingle Bells', 'Let it Snow' and a lot more. We will also have the lyrics to the songs up on a Jumbotron so everyone can sing along with us and a special medley that the audience will be able to participate in," Geihsler-Chittom said.
Also, this year an arrangement of student dance majors will be dancing in costumes of lighted wings as angels out on the field in front of the singing Christmas tree while the choir members sing.
A special surprise this year will be from the owner of "Just Vanilla Bake," who is a Belhaven alum and will be designing special Singing Christmas Tree cookies for guests to purchase.
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IF YOU GO:
When: Friday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Dec. 2
Where: Belhaven Bowl Stadium, 1500 Peachtree St., Jackson
Admission: Free
Time: There will be a sleigh courtesy of the Mississippi Ag. Museum where someone will dress up as Santa for parents to bring their little ones to take pictures at 6:30 p.m.
Show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Know an event coming up? Reporter Kiara Fleming can be reached via email KDFleming@jackson.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Belhaven University's Singing Christmas Tree. When and where to see it
