An Unusual Arizona Holiday Tradition Has Been Ruined

When the holiday season begins ramping up, traditions laid dormant for the previous 11 months reawaken like a slumbering giant. Many of these are done with fanfare, crowds, and music playing, but there are some traditions better left quietly appreciated.

Arizona has one such tradition, and it's been unceremoniously ruined just as December entered the fray.

What is the I-17 Mystery Tree?

If you've driven down Interstate 17 during the holidays, near mile marker 254, you've likely noticed a small tree decorated incredibly chaotically. That is Scrubby, and since 1989, it's gotten gussied up for the holiday season, but due to its location on a median on a busy interstate, no one knew who was decorating it.

That is, until 2021, when Nancy Dittbrenner Loftis entered the ring. She wanted to decorate the tree, sitting just outside their home, and began to make it a family tradition. All generations of the Dittbrenner family have joined in to help make this holiday tradition a long standing one.

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Where Did Scrubby Go?

Unfortunately, if you were hoping to see Scrubby, your time has passed. The tree unceremoniously burned down in 2019, after surviving numerous fires in the area for the previous three decades.

The Dittbrenner family hasn't given up hope yet. They hope that someone will come along and plant a new Scrubby, one to keep the tradition alive for years to come. The tree even has it's own song, written by official state Balladeer Dolan Ellis, who shares the Dittbrenner's passion for planting a new tree.

Let's hope a new Scrubby comes to us soon, so we can continue one of Arizona's favorite holiday traditions.

[KJZZ][ArizonaDOT via YouTube]