Flowery Branch lights the 'Great Tree'

FLOWERY BRANCH - Flowery Branch got into the holiday spirit Thursday night with its first Thanksgiving Christmas Tree Lighting behind the historic train depot hosted by Better Hometown.

The voices of the Mount Zion Baptist Church choir helped set the stage for the lighting of Flowery Branch's Great Tree.

Sandy Myers lives near Flowery Branch and said she brought family members visiting from South Carolina to get into the Christmas spirit.

"We came for the lighting of the tree and the caroling and the music," she said. "The weather is already cold enough to be Christmas."

Temperatures dipped into the mid-40's in Flowery Branch but the weather did not turn away the crowd.

Event Chairwoman Mary Jones said she hopes it will become an annual holiday tradition.

"Hopefully this will be an annual event," Jones, a member of Flowery Branch City Council, said. "We'll never be as big as Macy's but I think it's nice for a community to kick off the seasonm like this."

The Johnson High School Brass Ensemble played holiday melodies and Pastor Emerson Ross reminded everyone of what the season is really all about.

As soloist Janice Bryans concluded 'O Holy Night', the tree came to life with bright white lights, to welcome Christmas Season 2007 to Flowery Branch.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/11/204266