Make way for this year’s Christmas tree in Ocean Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The tree-decorating routine has becoming steeped in tradition, as this year marks the 29th anniversary of the much-anticipated holiday event that helps unites the community. “The only tree on the beach” will be installed at its usual location at the foot of Newport Avenue, joining the iconic OB Pier to create a stunning visual backdrop. This year’s tree is estimated at 50 feet tall and will be made available for decoration first to local Ocean Beach students and children from 9 to 11 am on the morning of Dec. 4. The kids flex some of their creative muscle by making their own ornaments, which range from Santa faces rendered from paper plates to festive holiday peace signs. “A Peaceful Ocean Beach Christmas” is this year’s theme, so ornaments are likely to have a new-age feel. After the children get their shot at decorating, the rest of the community is invited to join in and adorn the tree. Claudia Jack, chair of the Ocean Beach Town Council’s Tree Committee, feels the event captures the charm of the holiday. Seeing the whole community unite in its involvement with tree decoration “sort of adds the twinkle in your eye to see what people are doing,” she said. What makes this event so special, in part, is the degree to which it unites volunteers and businesses alike, said Jack. “It’s a great project because it involves so many people. The city of San Diego, local home owners, merchants, the town council and all of the volunteers,” said Jack. She added that the volunteerism is the most important thing. The process of obtaining and installing the tree begins early in the morning of Dec. 2 using the volunteer services of some local businesses. “Atlas Tree Service will cut it down and Hawthorn will [transport] it down, both free of charge,” Jack said, “Then we finally use Bob’s Crane Service to install the tree.” The tree was donated by a private resident in the San Diego area. It will be hoisted over palm trees — which themselves can reach heights of 40-50 feet — and installed into a slot in the ground that the OB Merchants Association installed a few years back. The process requires the help of 15-20 volunteers, without whom the event would not be possible, said Jack. The tree will be put in place, cleaned, decorated and beautified more than 3 weeks in advance of Christmas. “We just want to give ample time to really take advantage of it,” Jack said. The beautiful beach backdrop involving the pier, a fully decorated 50-foot Christmas tree and Santa can create quite the photo opportunity, according to Jack. “We install the tree so early because of the sheer number of photographers who come to shoot the scenic tree backlit by the pier,” said Jack. “{They} in turn send their photos to different parts of the country,” Jack said. For event organizers and residents, the OB Christmas tree represents the celebration of a holiday of giving and compassion. For more information on the Ocean Beach tree, decoration opportunities and events, call (619) 224-4906 or visit oceanbeachsandiego.com.