DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Are you missing a holiday memory? It may be hanging on a small artificial Christmas tree at the Douglas County Parks Department.
The county recycles trees every year for residents at no charge. Occasionally, the crews who turn the trees to mulch will find an ornament still hanging on a tree. Those that appear to have sentimental value are then taken to the office and hung on the “Lost Ornament Tree.”
“We think of the county citizens as family and we know if someone in our family had lost one of these we’d like to get them back,” Assistant Director of Parks, Trails, and Building Grounds Randy Burkhardt told Denver7.
There are about twenty ornaments on the tree, including:
- a baby photo of “Lucy” and the inscription “1st Christmas 2005”
- a clear Santa ornament with an etching that reads “Brittany 1984 from Grandma & Grandpa Yelk"
- multiple “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments
- and many more
“I think the families think they’re gone forever,” Burkhardt said. “They may not be.”
The county’s hope is to reunite these ornaments with their owners. If you recognize any of them, call the Denver7 newsroom at (303) 832-0200 to let us know, or you can email newstips@thedenverchannel.com.