O Holy Night and Rich’s Great Christmas Tree
I posted this a couple of year ago – it’s worth repeating.
I’d like to share with you one of my favorite things about Christmas. It’s the song “O Holy Night.” I pretty much like all versions of the song but my favorite lyrics are from an english version. Faith Hill’s version is my current favorite. I have nothing against the French version saying Noel, but here’s why I like the english version!
I’m a native Atlantan and from 1942 to the mid 1990′s the Downtown Rich’s Department store put a huge Christmas tree on top of the bridge that crossed over Forsyth Street and lit it Thanksgiving night – The Rich’s Great Tree. The bridge had four levels and on each side of the bridge a choir would sing a few songs and then they’d move to the next choir lighting the bridge as they went up. A total of 8 choirs would sing throughout the night. The last choir on the top would sing “O Holy Night” and when the soloist hit the high note on glory during the phrase “His power and glory will ever more proclaim” they’d flip the switch on the tree. Forsyth Street on both sides of the road would be filled with people and they’d go nuts.
Here’s where it gets personal for me. We’d go every year to see the lighting of the tree because my Dad use to work for the electrical contractors that put the lights on the tree. So we’d get to sit on the roof of Rich’s and see the entire show like VIPs. Even cooler though – my Dad was the guy who would flip the switch on the high note. That was just the coolest when you’re a kid. To say – “My Dad flips the switch for the lights on the Rich’s tree.” Even cooler for me was my Dad would send me up with an electrician, to the top, just under the tree, and my job was to count the lights that were out. I thought I had the most important job in the world at the time. To top it all off we’d get to be some of the first kids to ride the Pink Pig. If you’re from here – you’ll know about the Pink Pig. If you’re not – it’s a really infamous ride on the roof of Rich’s but special to all of us who got the sticker that said “I rode the Pink Pig.”
So “O Holy Night” has a special place in my heart because of my very fond childhood memory.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Hey my dear brother. I love you so much. This makes me cry. I do not remember all of this, but I do remember going downtown on Thanksgiving and sitting on the roof, waiting for daddy to light the tree. Thanks for such a wonderful memory.