Pothole Christmas tree inspires pastor to a write holiday song

McCOMB, Miss. (AP) — A scraggly metal Christmas tree planted in a pothole has inspired a Mississippi minister to pen a holiday song. 

One bit asks, "If a man can take a pothole and bring the whole world together, the question is what are you doing to spread the Christmas joy?" 

The Rev. Leon Hitchens of Webb Chapel Church in Liberty wrote "Pothole Christmas Tree" after local radio host Fern Crossley showed him the makeshift holiday scene, the Enterprise-Journal of McComb reported. 

The song celebrates John Drummond, who stuck the base of a wire Christmas tree into the traffic cone sticking out of the pothole. Neighbors decorated it with tinsel, ornaments and a large star on the top. An Associated Press account went worldwide, leading to additional coverage by Fox News.

Drivers are now going out of their way to check out the pothole and its decoration.

"I was really moved by the story," Hitchens said. "All because of the spirit of Christmas and how Mr. Drummond took what was supposed to be a bad situation and made it for the good."

The city board said at last week's meeting that crews are repairing poles as tight finances allow, and a $3.2 million bond issue dedicated to street paving may let the city fill others.

Though many people take down their Christmas trees by New Year's Day, it's uncertain whether the city will have the pothole fixed by then.