GWINNETT COUNTY — Gwinnett County’s Great Christmas Tree is standing tall in downtown Lawrenceville, despite a minor mishap during installation. The 40-foot Norway Spruce, carefully selected from Sugar Mountain, N.C., arrived in Lawrenceville early Tuesday morning at 5:30 a.m. The tree’s arrival marked the official start of the holiday season preparations in the county. While workers were lifting the tree into place, it unexpectedly snapped near the top.

County officials confirmed Thursday that the tree is fine. Crews removed the top two feet and carefully adjusted the remaining tree to ensure it stood securely and looked its best. The final height of the tree is now 38 feet. Officials noted that this change is minimal, as about two feet are typically trimmed from the bottom during installation to fit the display area.

The two feet removed from the top were not wasted. They have been repurposed as a small “baby tree,” which has been placed near the Santa display and holiday decorations to bring extra cheer to visitors.

Over the next few weeks, the Great Christmas Tree will be decorated with lights and ornaments in preparation for the official lighting ceremony, which is scheduled for Thanksgiving evening. Adding a festive touch, Santa Claus personally stopped by on Tuesday morning to supervise the tree’s delivery and ensure everything went smoothly.

The county encourages residents and visitors to come by downtown Lawrenceville this holiday season to enjoy the tree and festive decorations, which promise to bring a sense of community and celebration to Gwinnett County.