The New Ulm Street Department and New Ulm Electrical Department worked together Thursday to decorate the City Hall Christmas tree. Bulbs were hung from the branches with care and lights were woven through the evergreen.

New Ulm Utilities Director Kris Manderfeld said that though the City Hall tree was fully decorated Thursday, the city usually does not light it until the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The City Hall Christmas tree was not the only one decorated. The city contracted Warner’s Outdoor Solution to wrap lights on all of the trees in downtown Minnesota Street. Thursday evening was the first chance to see the lights of the season. Later in the month, lighted Christmas wreaths will be added to downtown light posts.

Crystal Johnson with the New Ulm Area Chamber said volunteers will decorate the wreaths on Friday, Nov. 21. The wreaths are expected to go up on Monday, Nov 24, before Thanksgiving.

On Thursday, crews from New Ulm’s Street Department and Electrical Department work together to string Christmas lights through the evergreen outside City Hall.

Johnson said the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, members of New Ulm Education Association (NUEA) and the New Ulm Chamber will place live Christmas trees in corner planters along Minnesota Street. The tradition of placing the Christmas trees with the help of the teacher’s union goes back over 30 years.

Chamber President Sarah Warmka said that once again, the Chamber is bringing back the 40-foot upside-down Christmas Tree. Last year, the upside-down Christmas tree was hung in Hermann Heights Park; this year, it will be placed in German Park. The lighting ceremony for the upside-down tree will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, as part of the new Weihnachts Markt Holiday Market planned in German Park.

Warmka said the Weihnachts Markt was a new collaboration between the City of New Ulm, the New Ulm Chamber, the Downtown Action Team and the Heart of New Ulm (HONU) that would features live music, a vendor market, a Christmas Tree display, food and other holiday activities.

Warmka said the lighting of the upside Christmas tree would come at the close of the Weihnarchts Markt at 5 p.m. and the 37th Annual Parade of Lights would follow at 6 p.m.

Downtown storefronts are also getting into the holiday season. The Chamber has brought back the Festive Facades contest. Participating Chamber businesses will compete to have the most festive storefront display. The public will be allowed to vote for their top three favorites through Google Forms. Voting begins Nov. 28 and will go through Dec. 31. The winners will be announced on Jan. 2.