Remnant Recap

• What Happened: A shipment delay left Dearborn Heights without its Christmas tree until a businessman and tree farmer donated a 40-foot spruce.
• Why It Matters: Their last-minute generosity saved the annual lighting ceremony and brought the community together.
• Bottom Line: A near-canceled tradition turned into a story of unity, charity, and hometown pride.

A cherished Dearborn Heights Christmas tradition was nearly scrapped this year after a delayed shipment left the city without its annual tree. But a local businessman and a Michigan tree farmer stepped in at the eleventh hour, saving the celebration and delivering a 40-foot Norway spruce now standing proudly in front of city hall.

The previous administration had ordered a lower-cost artificial tree from China, but the shipment got stuck overseas. Mayor Mo Baydoun said the update came too late. “It would be here by Thursday, but it would be too late for us to set this tree up and get it going,” he said. Faced with canceling the ceremony altogether, the city began scrambling for a solution.

NEW: Arab Dearborn Heights businessman Sam Hussein and a local tree farmer team up to cover the cost of a $10,000 Christmas tree, which now stands in front of city hall.

The men decided to take action after the yearly tradition was almost ruined.

The tree order, which was… pic.twitter.com/K1q1rfF5h7

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 9, 2025

That’s when Huff’s Tree Farm in Highland and Dearborn Heights businessman Sam Hussein stepped in to save the day. Workers from the city showed up at the farm looking for a large tree, and co-owner Nicholas Huff already knew which one was perfect. “So I said that has to be your tree. It’s one of the prettiest ones we have at the farm,” Huff explained.

The towering spruce cost around $10,000. Huff’s Tree Farm covered part of the cost, and Hussein paid the remainder. “I thought it was the right thing to do given the circumstances,” Hussein said. “They were really on a time crunch and this is our way of giving back.”

Huff called the experience meaningful. “I feel a good sense of pride being able to help the community and bring people together during this special time of year,” he said.

For Mayor Baydoun, the tree symbolizes something even deeper. As an immigrant Muslim mayor, he said the rescue of the holiday tradition shows what unity in Dearborn Heights really looks like. “We still coexist and we still celebrate the traditions of Christmas. This is a unified community and we’re going to stay that way,” he said.

The tree-lighting ceremony is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. outside city hall.

You can find more information on the city’s website.

Photo Credit: WXYZ