In a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Avril Rowlands continues a cherished holiday tradition by decorating a Christmas tree they planted together in 1979. What began as a modest £6 fir sapling in their new home has grown into a majestic 50-foot landmark towering over their four-bedroom house in Inkberrow, Worcestershire.
For over four decades, Avril and Christopher Rowlands lovingly adorned the towering tree each December, using a cherry picker to string thousands of festive lights. Christopher, who passed away in March from emphysema, was the driving force behind the annual spectacle. Now 80, Avril is determined to carry on the tradition in his memory.
“This year, I’m decorating the tree in honour of Chris because he adored the spectacle,” Avril shared. “We’ve switched to thousands of LED lights this season after last year’s tungsten bulbs were blown away by strong winds. A local company kindly donated the LEDs, which are far more durable.”
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Each December, around 2,000 visitors flock to Avril’s home to witness the tree lighting, which serves as the sole illumination in their village—a rare community in Britain without street lighting. The famous fir has even earned recognition as a local landmark on Google, gaining five-star reviews from visitors.
Reflecting on the journey, Avril remarked, “We never imagined that a small tree planted almost 50 years ago would grow to become such a beloved part of the community’s Christmas celebrations.”
Beyond spreading festive cheer, the couple raised over £25,000 for various charities through donations collected from visitors. This year, Avril hopes to raise hundreds more for Asthma and Lung UK in tribute to Christopher’s memory.