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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Until Monday, Donald Stephens had almost given up on his offer of a Christmas tree for Public Square.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>&#8220;I just got the call today. It was a good thing, too, because I was going to call somebody to take it down within the next few days,&#8221; Stephens said of the tree he planted in his Kidder Street back yard almost 30 yeas ago.</p><p>The blue spruce came down and was hauled away by trailer to the Square where, with the help of a heavy-duty tow truck, Department of Public Works employees stood it up.</p><p>Stephens said his family has been invited to be on the bandstand Saturday for the downtown Santa Parade and the tree-lighting ceremony to follow.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m thrilled,&#8221; Stephens, 57, said.</p><p>&#8220;I planted it myself about 30 years ago. It was about 3 feet tall,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Stephens&#8217; mother was concerned children riding their bikes through the backyard would get hurt, so he decided to plant the tree. That didn&#8217;t stop them, he said. The tree&#8217;s since grown to approximately 30 feet tall, he added.</p><p>&#8220;My family&#8217;s been in the city for generations,&#8221; Stephens said. His father and grandfather were city firefighters and his great-grandfather also worked for the city. Stephens, who&#8217;s now resides in the Back Mountain, said he works in private industry.</p><p>He&#8217;s still connected to the city, though, as his daughter, Tara, lives in the house where he grew up.</p><p>She attends King&#8217;s College and her classes for the physician&#8217;s assistant program are held in the former Ramada hotel across the street from the Square where the tree now stands proudly.</p><p>&#8220;My daughter saw it being put up,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">A blue spruce planted by Donald Stephens in his backyard on Kidder Street 30 years ago came down Monday morning and was trucked to Public Square, Wilkes-Barre where it will stand as the city&#8217;s Christmas tree. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL111715tree22.jpg</photo0><caption0>A blue spruce planted by Donald Stephens in his backyard on Kidder Street 30 years ago came down Monday morning and was trucked to Public Square, Wilkes-Barre where it will stand as the city&#8217;s Christmas tree. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL111715tree12.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tony White Jr. straps the Wilkes-Barre Christmas tree to another tree on Public Square. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL111715tree12.jpg</photo1><caption1>Tony White Jr. straps the Wilkes-Barre Christmas tree to another tree on Public Square. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Tree from Kidder Street backyard spruces up Public Square for the holidays