Ceremony and Community Christmas tree lighting welcomes the holiday season in Adrian

ADRIAN — Just as if it were something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, large snowflakes began to fall from the sky Monday evening, almost immediately as the annual holiday community tree lighting ceremony in downtown Adrian got underway.

Crowds of people stood on the front lawn of the nearly fully renovated old Lenawee County Courthouse and braved the brisk evening to watch the Christmas tree be lit for the holiday season. It was also the in-person return of the tree-lighting ceremony. Last year’s lighting was completed virtually because of COVID-19 precautions.

There was even the possibility that this year’s tree lighting might not have taken place and it wouldn’t have been COVID’s fault at all.

“There were just some circumstances that came about, and (the tree lighting) wasn’t going to happen,” Jim Berryman, former Adrian mayor and organizer of the tree lighting, said in an interview after Monday’s tree lighting. “The politics of the whole thing was what it boiled down to.”

In another almost Hallmark-esque turn of events, Berryman was explaining the possibility and reasoning of there being no tree lighting to his daughter Julie Adams and his granddaughters, Violet, 10, and Bernadette Adams, 7, just a couple of months ago. In a private conversation with Violet, Berryman said, she put her arm around his shoulder and said “Grandpa, I want you to take some time and think about this. It isn’t about politics, it’s about Christmas.”

“And my reaction to that was, ‘Oh my gosh. She is absolutely right!’” Berryman said.

From there — albeit a little bit behind schedule — Berryman completed his rounds and phone calls and contacted those who help out annually with making the tree lighting possible.

This year is the seventh annual community tree lighting.

“There was no holding back from anybody,” he said. “They were all ready to do it.”

Assisting on the tree lighting project once again, from the hauling of the tree to the grounds of the Old Lenawee County Courthouse, to the eventual flipping of the switch during Monday’s ceremony, were the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office, H.L. Green Machine Moving, Schaedler Enterprises Inc., Ropes and Rigging, Adrian Department of Public Works, Premier Bank and Consumers Energy.

Sound and stereo equipment provided during the ceremony was courtesy of The Sound Doctor and Mike McLemore and his team.

The tree itself, now adorned with thousand of lights, was donated by Raisin Township resident Mark Webb, who lives along Oakwood Road. The lights were placed on the tree the day after Thanksgiving, Berryman said, in a near full-day operation.

“Mark (Webb) was gracious from the very beginning. It’s a gorgeous tree,” Berryman said. “It’s not the tallest tree we have had. It’s kind of short and fat, but it’s absolutely gorgeous.”

The snow that fell during the ceremony really capped off the holiday feel, according to Berryman.

“As soon as we started things, it started snowing, and I loved it,” he said. “… I have to hand it to (Violet) and her comments to me. Everyone was convinced that, ‘OK, this isn’t not going to happen this year.’ That was the lightning that we needed to get this going again."

Violet, Bernadette and their mother, Julie, counted down from 10 to 0 and Berryman flipped the switch, officially welcoming the holiday season to Adrian. “Winter Wonderland” played following the lighting of the tree.

Comments during the ceremony were made by Adrian Mayor Angie Sword Heath and Lenawee County Administrator Martin Marshall. H.L. Green and Dave Southward of Consumers Energy spoke about assisting on the tree lighting project.

Singer Natasha Ricketts returned to perform “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” and “Where Are You Christmas?”, which has become a tradition during the tree lighting.

All of the work that goes into making the tree lighting possible is done at no cost.

“Jim wants to make things happy for Christmas,” Green said during the ceremony.

Those in attendance were able to bring a nonperishable food item with them to the tree lighting to benefit the city of Adrian food drive.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Community Christmas Tree officially lit for the holidays in Adrian