The magic is spreading: 'Magic Tree' creator decorates six trees in Columbia

Story and photo by Samantha Rhoades, posted Dec. 22, 2009

Not far down Old Plank Road in Columbia, a line of cars forms on a quiet street that is unusually busy this time of year. Families, students and residents from Columbia and elsewhere are on the way to a small nook in the south of town, located on West Hickam Drive.  This is home to the Magic Tree, a 40-year-old crabapple strewn with 75,000 lights.

The Magic Tree was created by Randy Fletcher, also known as Will Treelighter, and 2009 marks its 15th year as part of the winter season and holiday traditions. However, this year, West Hickam Drive isn’t the only place to see the magic. In fact, according to Fletcher, there are six “magic” trees across Columbia.

	The 'magic' in Columbia more than tripled this year, as Randy Fletcher decorated a total of six trees with thousands of lights, including the Cherry Hill tree, above, and the Unity tree, left.

Fletcher said has decorated The Unity Tree at Unity Church since they moved into their current building located at 1600 W. Broadway ten years ago.

“I’ve done that tree every year along with The Magic Tree,” Fletcher said. “But, this is the first year I’ve tackled six trees, and the first year ever for the tree at Cherry Hill and for the Symphony Tree.”

The Symphony Tree stands at a residence in Holly Hills Court in west Columbia and is a featured stop on the 26th annual Holiday Home tour, a fundraiser that took place Dec. 5 and 6, sponsored by the Women’s Symphony League.

The tree at The Village of Cherry Hill was deemed “The Cherry Tree of Lights” and is located near the intersection of Chapel Hill Road and Scott Blvd. at the village’s town square near the gazebo.

Other trees are located at private homes, such as a spruce in Bluff Creek Estates, and two trees in one yard on Burnam Rd, each with about 3,000 lights.

Many Columbia residents believe the trees are an important part of winter festivities. Mandi Postlewait, a student at Columbia College, makes a point to stop and view The Magic Tree each season. She said it’s a staple place for holiday pictures. Since her recent move to west Columbia, she plans on viewing The Cherry Tree of Lights.

“Through the years, The Magic Tree has brought a lot of different people together to share one thing, and that is the love of such beauty,” Postlewait said.

She also said that anything with that much power is truly magical, and it’s wonderful that Columbia sees the need to keep spreading the love. She believes the magical trees make Columbia a better place, and are important to lift spirits and bring a sense of calm and peace in hard times.

“The littlest things often mean the most,” Postlewait said. “If something so small, like thousands of tiny lights on a tree can make someone so happy, that is truly amazing.”

This season, creating the trees has become much like a full-time occupation for Fletcher. He’s been challenged to balance creating the trees with his daytime work.

“I still have other work, painting contracting and so forth which fills up my days,” Fletcher said. “I work on the trees in the evening, sometimes I get some hours in during the afternoon when I get a chance, but a lot of it is done after my other working hours.”

Fletcher is dedicated to keeping Columbia’s magic trees going, and he’s open to spreading, or rather sharing, their magical beauty as much as he can.

From the Magic Tree’s Website:
“Love’s in everything.
Beauty is its signature.
The eye for beauty belongs to the beholder.
What, then, are you?”

For more information visit: http://www.magic-tree.org/

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