Woman Behind Beloved Norwalk Easter Egg Tree Brings Seasonal Joy To Residents: PHOTOS

NORWALK, CT — For nearly two decades Norwalk residents have come to expect a beloved sight while traveling down East Avenue early each spring: a tree covered in hundreds of colorful plastic eggs.

According to city resident Jalna Jaeger, whose festive Easter display outside her home has been enchanting residents for 18 years, the tree's origins are somewhat tied to her hometown of Westport.

"I don't know what inspired me," Jaeger said, speaking outside her home days before Easter. "There used to be a really nice tree in Westport that they would put up just on Easter, and it was done with real eggs, but I tried real eggs and they fade out with the sun."

Her original display featured about 200 eggs, a seemingly large amount, however Jaeger quickly found it still somehow looked minuscule.

"I decided I really had to up this," Jaeger said.

Jaeger, who has lived at 3 East Avenue for 44 years, said she was unsure how many eggs grace her tree now, but it is enough that it would take her about eight hours to set up alone.

"I used to do it by myself and it took me all day," Jaeger said.

She now makes sure to have a group help her set it up. This year, it took a group of about five people only a couple of hours to finish, according to Jaeger.

"I try to do it six weeks ahead of Easter so people have plenty of time to see it," Jaeger said. "It's [usually] February or March, which is kind of an ugly time of year, so it brightens things up."

The Easter tree was initially just something Jaeger did to celebrate the upcoming holiday, with a hope that it might also bring a smile to a few passersby, however she soon started receiving cards from residents letting her know how much they loved seeing it.

"One woman wrote me a letter and said she goes by it every day on her way to work and it's so pretty, that it really cheers her up. I thought that was pretty neat," Jaeger said. "Then when we started putting it up again people would honk or wave, and they would come over and talk. I've met a few neighbors that way."

Now Jaeger often sees people stop their car to take photos with their family in front of the tree, especially as the weather warms up.

"Kids love it," Jaeger said, "parents will drive by especially so the kids can see it. It's colorful. My daughter says it's the only thing in Norwalk that everyone can agree on. They all like the Easter egg tree."

One woman even told Jaeger she sends pictures of the tree to her mother in Switzerland, who now loves it even more than her and looks forward to seeing it every year.

Aside from a recent section of blue and yellow eggs toward the front of the tree meant to honor Ukraine, Jaeger said there is no real method to the way she hangs the rest of her eggs. She often will just go by what feels right in the moment.

"I used to go up on a ladder and do the top of the tree," Jaeger said, "but I'm 71 and it's not really worth falling off a ladder, so I just do what I can reach."

Jaeger said she does not use any specific type of plastic eggs, however she does make a point to replace any eggs that have become faded by the weather each year.

The tree itself is an old one, though Jaeger noted she is not sure exactly how old.

"I remember this tree from when I was a kid," Jaeger said. "My mom grew up in Norwalk and we'd go up this road, and there were two trees, one on either side of the sidewalk, and I noticed them when I was a little kid because they're so unusual."

While the tree is completely free for all to view and take photos with, Jaeger noted anyone who wishes to show their gratitude for it can make a donation, either food or monetary, to Person to Person.

The Norwalk-based nonprofit organization works to provide food assistance, emergency financial assistance and more to those in need, and Jaeger volunteers at the organization's food pantry on South Main Street.

Though she owns the ultimate Easter display sitting right outside her home, which she noted was built in 1922, Jaeger said her family now typically celebrates the holiday at her daughter's house on the other side of town.

Nonetheless, Jaeger takes pride in knowing something she puts up each year has become part of many residents' Easter traditions, so much so they will stop what they are doing to capture a photo of them and their loved ones in front of it.

"I think it's great," Jaeger said. "I think a lot of people enjoy it."