Special: The Elves

As a little holiday treat, we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes with you again — ad free — to enjoy this weekend. Arizona might not seem like the typical setting for holiday magic, but for decades, some mysterious local “elves” have turned a spherical, scrubby-looking desert juniper out on I-17 into what has to have been one of America’s more unlikely Christmas spectacles; but who are they, and why are they so determined to light up the lonely landscape?  Pre order Laurah’s book LAY THEM TO REST: https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/laurah-norton/lay-them-to-rest/9780306828805/ Hosted and Written by Laurah Norton Researched by Bryan Worters and Laurah Norton Engineered, Scored, Script-Edited, and Produced by Maura Currie  Sources on our website: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon for early release and ad-free episodes, exclusive stories, and bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/OneStrangeThing Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OSTPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onestrangethingpod/  and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/One-Strange-Thing-114307627035607 Interested in advertising on our show? Contact Glassbox Media: https://glassboxmedia.com/contact-us/ Copyright One Strange Thing Podcast LLC 2022 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- N/A, “Mystery Surrounds Tree. . .” ADOT, 2011. AZ FAMILY NEWS STAFF, “Santa’s Helpers Decorate. . .”  AZ FAMILY, 2018. KNPX STAFF, “The Mystery of the. . .” 12 News, 2016. “Cordes Junction, Arizona: Mystery Christmas Tree.” Roadside America. Audrey Jensen, “Famous Tree on I-17. . .” The Arizona Republic, 2020. N/A, AP, “Decorated Juniper a Mystery,” The Tucson Press, 1995.  Leolinda Bowers, “Northern Arizona Highway. . .” Active Rain, 2009.  Dennis Wagner, “The Humble Tree. . .” The Arizona Republic, 2011. The Prescott Times, Facebook, 2020. Rebecca Thomas, “Decorator of I-17. . .” CBS-5, 2013. Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez, “Did You Know: The I-17. . . “ KJZZ, 2013. Laurie Merrill, “VIDEO: Arizona’s Official Balladeer. . .” ADOT, 2019. Andrew Oxford, “Famous Tree on I-17 Hurt. . .” The Arizona Republic, 2019. Dollan Ellis, “What History Has Taught Us,” Trust West Magazine, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices