Chicago's going to have one big Christmas tree this year.

Emphasis on "one."

For the first time since 1955, the municipal Christmas tree will be a single large tree, instead of a mash-up of small trees lashed together.

Last year, the 90-foot-high city tree was made of 113 little trees, said Mary May of the Office of Special Events. This year's tree is 56 feet tall, but with its platform and star topper, it'll be about 60 feet.

The blue spruce was donated by the Weivoda family of Palos Heights, where Harlan and Carol Weivoda have an acre of land that was getting crowded with trees. Harlan started thinking of chopping down the spruce.

He went on the city Web site, clicked on "Contact Us" and offered his tannenbaum to Chicago. The office of Special Events got the message.