Marist’s Christmas Tree Shines Once Again for 2021

Social media be warned! Soon you will be seeing plenty of red and white glowing from your phone and computer screens as you scroll through your friends and family’s recent posts. Yes, it's that time of year again- the Marist College Christmas Tree has been lit! On Monday, November 29th, Marist College held their Tree Lighting Ceremony in person, after having to do it virtually last year due to the pandemic. The event included songs by the Marist Singers and a few words from Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Deb DiCaprio and President of the Alumni Association Eileen Altobelli.

Few trees can say that they are photographed as much as this one, especially within the Hudson Valley. Since 2002, the Marist Christmas Tree, which can easily be spotted while driving on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, has been a holiday photo destination for many families. Whether you go back and forth on Route 9, drive through the campus, or get up close and personal with it, the Marist Christmas Tree is not just a staple to the college, but the community at large.

Here are a few Fun Facts about the Marist Christmas Tree:

• The display is made up of 74,000 bulbs and 748 strands on the tree. Every fifth bulb is “Marist” red.
• It takes three weeks for the Physical Plant staff to string the tree, and about one week to take it down.
• The design is modeled after the Rockefeller tree, and they have been doing it this way since 2002.