For most celebrants of Christmas, taking down the tree is more of a chore than an anticipated holiday activity. When Boulder, however, was still a small town, its residents enthusiastically participated in the old English tradition of Twelfth Night.

On Jan. 6 (the 12th day after Christmas) every year for several decades, city dwellers burned their trees in one big bonfire. In addition to disposing of the greenery, they enjoyed an evening of fun that brought together the community.

The centuries-old custom was revived in 1939 by Boulder Mayor Howard H. Heuston and organized by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. Residents were instructed to discard their trees on the curbs in front of their houses for City of Boulder employees to pick up and haul to the intersection of 9th Street and the railroad tracks (now one of the lanes of Canyon Boulevard).

In another first that holiday season, Boulder High School students designated one of their senior girls as “Miss Merry Christmas.” At 7 p.m., the chosen girl (along with Mayor Heuston) stuck a burning broom into the pile of trees to officially set off the blaze.

“Hundreds of children and adults alike gathered around a bonfire of evergreens, climbed on freight cars, and stood on [railroad] loading ramps,” stated a newspaper reporter in 1939. “The bonfire crackled, while the scent of evergreens filled the air.”

Music filled the air, as well. A bystander in later years remembered singing “Silent Night,” as the bundled-up crowd consumed coffee, cocoa, donuts and cookies.

School groups from Boulder High School, University Hill Elementary School, and Northside Junior High (now Casey Middle School) sang Christmas carols. As the fire died down, the crowd joined in with “Auld Lang Syne.”

In the mid-1940s, the City added fireworks. In 1945, the Daily Camera stated that one of the fireworks, “a set piece,” was a display of Christmas bells. As the image was lit, Fire Chief Emil Johnson tolled a bell. According to a reporter, the sound effect “scored a hit with the crowd.”

Another crowd-pleaser was the Flagstaff star, lit for the first time in November 1947. Beginning with the January 1948 Twelfth Night celebration, the star was turned off for the season just as the bonfire erupted into flames.

In 1958, the fire, group singing and fireworks were moved to the Pow Wow grounds, northeast of the intersection of Pearl and 28th Streets. In 1967, because of the construction of the YMCA building on 28th Street, the celebration was moved again to a field southeast of the CU engineering building.

During the years of the bonfires, Boulder’s population had grown from 12,000 to 66,000 people. In 1970, the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department resolved the problem of tree-disposal with a chipping operation. Many of the trees were turned into mulch although the city still sponsored a “token” bonfire.

Boulder finally outgrew its Twelfth Night tradition in the late 1970s. But to those who were there, it was fun while it lasted.

“Everyone was in a good mood,” said one participant. “It was a warm-hearted closure to holidays.”

Silvia Pettem and Carol Taylor write about history for the Daily Camera. Follow Carol’s Instagram @signsofboulderhistory. Email Carol at boulderhistorylibrarian@gmail.com, Silvia at pettem@earthlink.net or write to the Daily Camera, 2500 55th St., Suite 210, Boulder, 80301.