Electric cooperatives have been spreading holiday cheer this month in their communities with traditions old and new.

One shining example is Frank Siepker Jr.’s Christmas tree boat, a beloved tradition in Northern Michigan’s Big Glen Lake that’s visible for miles around. For the past eight years, the engineering and operations manager at Cherryland Electric Cooperative has used mechanical know-how to anchor a fir in his 14-foot boat and keep it lit all season long with solar panels and batteries.

Siepker said his two children are now old enough to help, and that assistance is making for smoother sailing. “The community continues to enjoy the holiday magic this tradition brings these cold, dark winter evenings,” he said.

This holiday season also marked the return of some traditions suspended the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When businesses in downtown Mattoon, Illinois, decided to bring back their holiday parade, they opted for a first-ever nighttime event. Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative was one of the parade’s 40 participants, with a bright and shiny bucket truck sporting at least 2,000 lights.

Please enjoy our 2022 co-op holiday photo gallery above. Season’s greetings and best wishes for a safe and healthy 2023!