Little Muddy community celebrates Christmas with a big tree and hundreds of lights

MORGANTOWN, Ky. – A small community in Butler County celebrates Christmas with a special tradition.

The Little Muddy community Christmas tree is a must see when you are in Butler County. Here’s the story behind the eye-catching attraction that sits atop a hill.

“Five or six years ago we were out there, and I said this would be a beautiful place to light this big tree up. It’s out by itself and the whole community could see it. So, I thought let’s just find some way to do it,” said Dennis Ingram.

Ingram and a neighbor found a way to make the idea a reality. Now over 1,900 bulbs cascade down the 60-foot tree and can be seen from miles away.

 “What we did when we got started was, well we knew the lights needed to be supported. We had to pull the lights out of the tree every night because the wind, the rain and the snow drives the lights down into the tree. So, we rigged up a way to make a cable. We have over 6,000 feet of wire that the lights are tied to, and we take the cable that the lights are tied to, to lift the lights out of the tree,” Ingram said.

The tree has been a symbol of Christmas in the Little Muddy community for the past four years.

It’s a way for the whole community to enjoy the holidays, Ingram said.

“After we got started, people started coming by and saying something about it and understanding what Christmas is about. The simplicity of the tree, it’s by itself, there is no other trees around, no other decorations around, it’s just a simple expression of Christmas just like the way Christ was brought into this world, in a very simple way,” added Ingram.

The tree lighting ceremony is held the last weekend of November. It’s a special time for the community to come together. The lighting ceremony has grown from around eight people the first year to over 50 people this year.

 “The night that we light the tree, the whole community comes together, and we have a place up there that everybody meets. We have a prayer, songs, carols and a time of fellowship. The kids count down ‘5,4,3,2,1’ we plug the tree in and then we plug the star in separately. It’s grown every year,” Ingram said.

The Little Muddy Christmas tree lights up around 5 p.m. each day and will be shining bright every night until Jan. 1.

You can also learn more about the Christmas tree and the Little Muddy community when you are in the area by turning your radio dial to 91.1.