As winter settles over St. Paul, two trees — one rooted in a family's thirty-year memory, another a luminous civic fixture — will rise as gathering points for a city seeking warmth and connection. The season's rituals of light and generosity take shape this weekend in Rice Park and Union Depot's North Plaza, where community celebration meets genuine need. In the glow of synchronized LEDs and fireworks, St. Paul rehearses an old human practice: marking the darkening year with brightness shared among strangers.
St. Paul lights up two holiday trees this weekend with festive celebrations
A tree they nurtured for thirty years becomes a city's centerpiece
Mark
So we have two trees lighting up the same night in St. Paul. What's the actual difference between them?
Mimi
One is real, one is digital. The Union Depot tree is a 40-to-45-foot Colorado blue spruce that a Roseville family has owned for thirty years. The Salvation Army tree in Rice Park is a 40-foot artificial Fraser fir that's been doing this for four years running.
Luke
And the Union Depot tree—they're just taking it from someone's yard? That seems like a big ask.
Mimi
It's a donation, and the family gets a major benefit. Removing a tree that size and grinding the stump costs over $5,000. Union Depot covers all of it.
Mark
Why would a family give up a tree they've had for three decades?
Mimi
The tree has grown too tall, it's encroaching on the sidewalk, it's causing problems. It's reached the end of its life in their yard. But instead of just cutting it down, they get to see it become the centerpiece of a city event.
Luke
And the grandson—is that confirmed, or is that a hope?
Mimi
The grandfather said "if it's at all possible" the 9-year-old would like to turn the lights on. So it's not locked in, but it's what the family is hoping for.
Mark
What about the Salvation Army tree? Why does that one matter beyond just being pretty?
Mimi
It's the kickoff for the Red Kettle campaign. And this year, the Salvation Army is saying the need is especially high because Minnesota cut some assistance programs, and now more families are coming to them asking for help with food, rent, utilities.
Luke
Do we know how much the cuts were, or which programs?
Mimi
The source doesn't specify. It just says "recent reductions in Minnesota assistance programs have flooded our centers with new requests." That's the Salvation Army's characterization.
Mark
So the tree lighting is also a fundraising moment.
Mimi
Exactly. The Red Kettle season funds food and housing programs all year. They're also actively recruiting bell ringers.
Luke
And both events are free to attend?
Mimi
Yes. Both are free. Hot chocolate and cookies at both. The Union Depot event also has a movie—"Elf"—at 7:30 p.m., and fireworks at the tree lighting.
Der Puls
- A Colorado blue spruce that sheltered one Roseville family for three decades is being uprooted and transplanted into the heart of downtown St. Paul — a bittersweet gift that transforms private memory into public celebration.
- A 9-year-old boy named Wesley has asked to be the one to flip the switch on the very tree his grandparents planted before his mother was even a teenager, threading three generations into a single moment of light.
- Across downtown, the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign launches beneath its 40-foot digital tree in Rice Park, with organizers calling this year's fundraising drive 'critically important' as state assistance cuts push more families toward crisis.
- Two ceremonies, one evening: fireworks, VocalEssence, NFL Hall of Famers, hot chocolate, and a screening of 'Elf' signal a city leaning hard into festivity even as the need surrounding it quietly deepens.
As winter settles over St. Paul, two trees — one rooted in a family's thirty-year memory, another a luminous civic fixture — will rise as gathering points for a city seeking warmth and connection. The season's rituals of light and generosity take shape this weekend in Rice Park and Union Depot's North Plaza, where community celebration meets genuine need. In the glow of synchronized LEDs and fireworks, St. Paul rehearses an old human practice: marking the darkening year with brightness shared among strangers.
Two holiday trees will light up St. Paul this weekend, each carrying a different kind of meaning.
The first belongs — or belonged — to Bill and Deanna Ellingson of Roseville, who planted a Colorado blue spruce nearly thirty years ago when their daughter Kelli was in sixth grade. The tree grew so tall that Bill eventually abandoned hand-stringing lights in favor of projectors. When Union Depot came calling in October asking to take it, the family said yes. The removal would have cost them over $5,000; instead, by Saturday evening, the 40-to-45-foot spruce will stand in Union Depot's North Plaza, ready to be lit at 7 p.m. with thousands of energy-efficient LEDs. Kelli's 9-year-old son Wesley has asked if he can be the one to flip the switch — and the whole family plans to be there to watch the tree they raised become the centerpiece of a city celebration.
The Union Depot's Hub for the Holidays event begins at 5 p.m. with the reveal of the 2026 St. Paul Winter Carnival Button, performances, hot chocolate, and children's activities. The tree lighting at 7 p.m. includes a sing-along and fireworks, followed by a screening of 'Elf.' The tree will remain standing through January 7, spanning the World Junior Hockey tournament.
Meanwhile, in Rice Park, the Salvation Army's 40-foot artificial Fraser fir — now in its fourth year — will be switched on at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony features St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter, VocalEssence, and DJ Ray Mills, with free cookies and hot chocolate for attendees. The lighting also marks the launch of the Red Kettle campaign, which organizers describe as critically important this year following reductions in Minnesota assistance programs that have driven more families to seek help with food, rent, and utilities.
For the Ellingsons, Saturday will be bittersweet. The tree had begun encroaching on the sidewalk, and Bill acknowledged it was a good time to let it go. But after thirty years, they will miss it. Deanna, at least, has one consolation: 'I love fireworks,' she said.
Two holiday trees will light up St. Paul this weekend, each telling a different story about how the city marks the season.
The first arrives on Saturday morning in Roseville, where a Colorado blue spruce that Bill and Deanna Ellingson planted nearly three decades ago will be cut down and hauled to Union Depot's North Plaza. The tree has grown to between 40 and 45 feet tall—so tall that Bill eventually gave up stringing lights by hand and instead rigged up projectors to cast the glow across its branches. When Union Depot officials came calling in October, asking if the family would donate the tree, the answer was yes. The removal and stump grinding alone would have cost more than $5,000; the Ellingsons won't pay a dime. By evening, the tree will stand in downtown St. Paul, ready to be lit at 7 p.m. with thousands of energy-efficient LEDs.
What makes this particular tree special to the Ellingson family is personal. Their daughter Kelli was in sixth grade when they moved into their townhome and planted the sapling. She watched it grow up alongside her. Now her own 9-year-old son, Wesley, has asked if he might be the one to flip the switch that brings the tree to life. The whole family plans to be there—Bill, Deanna, Kelli, her husband Chad, and Wesley—to see the tree they nurtured for thirty years become the centerpiece of a city celebration.
The Union Depot event, called Hub for the Holidays, begins at 5 p.m. inside the Waiting Room with the reveal of the 2026 St. Paul Winter Carnival Button, a performance by The Mistletones, hot chocolate, craft stations, and giveaways for children. At 7 p.m., the crowd moves outside for the tree lighting, which includes a sing-along and fireworks. Afterward, at 7:30 p.m., guests can watch "Elf" indoors. The European Christmas Market, the North Pole Express, the CPKC Holiday Train, and a holiday bake sale will also be part of the festivities. The tree will remain standing through January 7, spanning the entire World Junior Hockey tournament scheduled for December 26 through January 5.
Meanwhile, across downtown in Rice Park, the Salvation Army's digital tree—a 40-foot artificial Fraser fir—will be switched on at 5:30 p.m. the same Saturday. This is the tree's fourth year in the park at 109 W. Fourth Street. Unlike the live tree at Union Depot, this one features a dynamic light program synchronized with holiday music, updated weekly. The ceremony will include St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter, and the vocal group VocalEssence. DJ Ray Mills, the official DJ of the Minnesota Vikings, will provide music starting at 3:30 p.m. The St. Paul Police Band drumline will perform, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will make appearances. The Salvation Army will serve free cookies and hot chocolate. The tree will remain lit through January 7.
The Rice Park lighting also marks the official kickoff of the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign, the annual holiday fundraising drive that relies on donations at store entrances and street corners throughout the metro. This year, the need is acute. Recent reductions in Minnesota assistance programs have driven more families to seek help with food, rent, and utilities. Lt. Colonel Randall Polsley, the Salvation Army's Northern Division commander, called the Red Kettle season "critically important this year." Funds raised during the Christmas season support food and housing programs year-round. The organization is actively recruiting bell ringers through RegisterToRing.com.
Union Depot is also looking ahead. The 2025 tree was selected from between 25 and 50 submissions. Amy Struve, Union Depot's marketing manager, said the organization would welcome more contenders for future years. Anyone with a tree in mind can submit a photo and address to info@uniondepot.org, call 651-202-2700, or visit uniondepot.org/holiday/holiday-tree/. The tree must be an evergreen located in Ramsey County, in good condition, tall enough to make an impact, and removable without excessive difficulty.
For the Ellingsons, Saturday will be bittersweet. Bill acknowledged it's "a good time to see it go," given that the tree has begun encroaching on the sidewalk and causing other issues. But after thirty years of watching it grow, they will miss it. Deanna, for her part, is looking forward to the spectacle. "I love fireworks," she said.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
I got a couple of projectors and projected lights up on the tree and the neighbors seemed to really like that.— Bill Ellingson, on his original solution to lighting the tree
The annual Red Kettle season is critically important this year. Recent reductions in Minnesota assistance programs have flooded our centers with new requests for help.— Lt. Colonel Randall Polsley, Salvation Army Northern Division commander
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