City Times Staff

It’s beginning to look a little like Christmas.

The annual decorating of a 40-foot Spruce tree at Whiting Place on Clark Street began Tuesday. Thousands of lights and ornaments will adorn the tree when it’s finished, though it won’t be lit until the night of the city’s holiday parade.

The tree has been decorated by the same three men for the past 13 years. Todd Hydinger, Mark Janowski and Tim Bobzin began the annual task while working for Travel Guard- and founder John Noel- once the business was located downtown.

Janowski and Bobzin continue to work for Noel, but Hydinger now volunteers his time to decorate each year.

“It’s one of the things that the community the has come to recognize as sort of the official start of the holiday season in Stevens Point,” said Hydinger.

The three said this year’s mild weather is the best they’ve ever seen while decorating. Last year’s high temperature was 10 degrees on the day they decorated.

“We’ve been in rain, snow storms,” said Hydinger. “This time of the year really anything can happen.”

The tree can be seen at 1145 Clark St. in Stevens Point. The annual holiday parade begins in downtown Stevens Point at 6:00 PM on Nov. 20.