Icon one of few bright spots for local homeless during holiday season

Every year, Ocean Beach supplies and surprises residents and visitors with a unique, oversize community Christmas tree near the corner of Newport Avenue and Abbott Street across from the Ocean Beach Hotel. Although fenced in, the crowds — especially self-described globetrotters — like to gather around and under the tree on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day to sing, exchange trinkets and enjoy the only Christmas tree available to most of them. Some of these folks repeatedly make a special trip to Ocean Beach each Christmas to join the annual get-together. One of them, John Mercy, a homeless visitor from Big Bear, came to enjoy Christmas recently by the community tree. “It’s [the tree] for everybody,” he said, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if people get asked to leave again, like other times.” Similar comments come from Paul Albert, a 40-year-old traveler from Escondido, who also came to visit the tree recently. “It’s the only one I get to see up close on Christmas,” he said. “I come every year. It used to be a lot of fun, exchanging gifts and stories with old friends by the tree. But the last couple of years, people got arrested. Don’t know why. That really put a damper on things. I hope it’s better this year.” Ray Dix, who’s been locally living on the streets for more than four years, has his own take on the situation. “It‘s unreal,” said Dix. “I’ve been in OB for four years. Every year, it seems to look worse. This year tops it so far. Are they [the town] looking for Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree? Then we got a winner!” Uniquely decorated each year with the creative help of children’s hands, the tree is and has been a welcome landmark in Ocean Beach. Having lived in Ocean Beach for 32 years, local Jeff O’Connor thinks the tree and the decorating process is a great thing for the children. He also said he believes the tree should be enjoyed by everybody, and he said he’s always liked the idea of people flocking around it on Christmas. “There shouldn’t be any discriminating,” said O’Connor. “All people should be able to enjoy their Christmas by the OB tree. “[The state of] this year’s tree, well … There’s been better and there’s been worse [trees] than this one. I guess you get what you get.” Another local, known to many as “Brian J.,” said the tree’s appearance is secondary. “The tree’s looks are meant to be,” he said. “It’s a Charlie Brown tree beyond control. That, right there, makes it special. Thank you, Ocean Beach.”