Cambridge residents are admiring their 10th annual Bushel Basket Christmas Tree display

CAMBRIDGE, Md. – Well, it’s that time of year again when communities celebrate in their own way. On Delmarva, there is a unique tradition to get residents in the holiday spirit, and as for the residents of Cambridge, Christmas and Crab go hand in hand.

Traditional Tree

John Mccoy and his wife Jan have lived in Cambridge for the last 6 years. They don’t eat much crab, but they do enjoy the 20-plus-foot-tall Christmas tree, constructed with 300 blue crab harvest bushel baskets, and ordained with buoy ornaments. John says, “Well, I think it’s very clever, it’s a good representation of our community.”

Seasonal Surprise 

Newcomers to the community had a bit of a shock when they first laid eyes on this decades-long tradition. Crab lover Rhonda Davis has only been a resident for 6 months. Now although she was puzzled when she saw the volunteers setting it up on Black Friday, she was happy she trusted the process. “I was confused but then I thought it was really cute, because it looked like a Christmas tree, and I think that’s what it is… It does give me Christmas joy, now that I figured out what it was. At first, I was confused, and now it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s cute, it makes me happy.”

Crabs are Community 

Jan McCoy, John’s wife, says this puts her in the Christmas spirit, “When you see the men setting this up and climbing, yes, it’s exciting to see it get finished.” John says this is what this city is all about. “Our town has a saying that ‘water moves us’ and these crab baskets are just a good representation of what our economy is based on here crabs and seafood.”

J.M. Clayton’s is the state’s oldest crab processing facility is responsible for the baskets, and the ornaments are donations funded by Cambridge Main Street. If you would like to stop but and view the Bushel Basket Tree on the corner of Race and Gay Street in Cambridge Maryland, it shines all night and the city welcomes you!