Photograph by Susan Cole Kelly
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Trap”? “Oh, Holy Net”? Mainers have always had their own unique ways of spreading holiday cheer, from island-hopping Santas to beach bonfires, and the Lobster Pot Tree has become a tradition in several communities. This one sits outside a legendary south coast lobster pound, a neighborhood institution that’s been boiling bugs since 1936. That’s when a couple from Methuen, Massachusetts, bought an old cow pasture — overlooking a famous lighthouse — and set up a restaurant. The view of the beacon on “Savage Rock,” as explorer Bartholomew Gosnold called it in 1602, has been enhanced by more windows and outdoor seating over the years. And the lighthouse is never more spectacular than when it’s lit up for the Festival of Lights, draped in enough bright colors to be seen from space. It’s hard not to appreciate this quintessentially Maine tannenbaum with its crustacean on top. Have you ever celebrated the holidays here? Send us a note at P.O. Box 679, Camden, ME 04843; whip off an email to editorial@downeast.com, or post a comment at DownEast.com if you can identify this festive tree.