Downtown Christmas tree: Morgan City Main Street, businesses, donated tree create a holiday spirit

A Christmas tree has helped to add Christmas spirt to the area as the 14-foot artificial structure has been placed on the wharf in Morgan City this year.
The pre-lit tree was donated by the Lee Dragna family. Dragna is Morgan City’s mayor-elect.
The idea for the tree came about when Morgan City Main Street board members and downtown businesses were talking about how they wanted to place a tree at the floodwall opening at Freret Street and were going to start collecting donations for it, Morgan City Main Street Director Beth Price said. Before day’s end, Price said she learned the Dragna family had donated the tree.
To decorate the tree, they decided to collect donations to buy commercial ornaments.
“If people donated $50, they were able to get either their business name, their family name, in memory of, whatever they basically wanted on an ornament,” Price said.
The ornaments were made locally by Sean Torgrimson Sr., while others were bought elsewhere.
Employees of Southern Roots Salon and Spa helped decorate it, too.
The tree topper, which Dragna placed on the tree Monday morning, also was made locally by local business owner Grace Eisenman. Eisenman also will be making presents to place around the bottom of the tree.
Price said the tree has been “a symbol of hope” and a “bright spot” in 2020.
“A lot of people go by, of course, and take photos with it and just to see it, take family pictures with it,” Price said. “The salon that helped us kind of start the conversation about it is right there on the corner by the opening in the sea wall, and they see people constantly going there looking at it, of course now looking for their ornaments because the donor ornaments are up. So I think it’s just been a bright, kind of happy thing in a tough year that the community really did come together for to make it possible.”
The tree is lit at 4 o’clock in the evening, and the lights go off at 6 o’clock in the morning.
While no more decorations are being placed on the tree this year, Price said donations will be taken to place ornaments on the tree next year.
“Whatever’s not used this tree specifically, of course, will be used for other decorations for the Main Street District,” Price said.
Those interested in donating an ornament can call Price at the Morgan City Main Street Office at 985-380-4639 or they can message her on the Main Street’s Facebook page.