1 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
2 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
3 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
4 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
5 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
6 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
7 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
8 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
9 of 9
Photos by Lexi Coon.
A section of 18th Street was blocked off the morning of Dec. 1 as city employees hung the annual holiday star.
To mark the start of the holiday season, the annual Homewood Christmas star was hung over downtown Homewood the morning of Dec. 1. The city generally starts working on the star in mid-October or November for it to be hung in early December, and employees put in countless hours making sure it's just as beautiful as the years before.
Then, with the help of some bucket trucks and a couple police officers, the 20 foot-wide and 200 pound star was tethered high above 18th Street in just under a half an hour. With 1,200 lights, the star is a symbol that easily brightens downtown Homewood for the holidays.
"It's no big problem at all," said city employee Terry Plyler, who helped with the hanging. "It was like clockwork."
Plyler and his co-workers were just happy to have better weather this year. Compared to previous years when it has been raining, sleeting or windy, the weather was mild and favorable to hang the star.
"I'm just glad it wasn't snowing," agreed fleet management employee Chris Chestnut, who is also responsible for the construction of the star that has been used for the past 20 years or so.
The holiday symbol will accompany the city's other decorations, such as the bows, garlands and City Hall tree, through the month of December and will be taken down after Jan. 1. The star will be officially lit on Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
