From a couple of marriage proposals in front of Christmas trees to visitors from more than two dozen states and four countries, Merrehope’s 55th annual Trees of Christmas is creating quite the buzz, organizers say.

“It has been a fantastic year so far, and we are excited about it,” said BJ Hatten, a co-chairman of the event. “We have had people come from more than 25 different states to view the trees and four countries.”

Celebrating its 55th year, the six-week Trees of Christmas is a popular holiday attraction in Meridian. Sixty-seven elaborately decorated Christmas trees and festive exhibits, created by designers from around Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, are on display in the 20-room mansion this holiday season.

“We have had a lot of tour buses come in bringing tour groups. Children from the Boys and Girls Club have come to see the trees; so has a group from Hope Village for Children. The Dustys had their Christmas party here one night,” Hatten said. “We are delighted with the local people still coming in to see the trees.”

Kim Waters, president of the Meridian Restorations Foundation Inc, which owns Merrehope, said it seems like an uptick in visitors over attendance from last year.

“We have more tour buses of people coming, which I think that’s really just kind of starting back since COVID,” she said. “Some of the visitors are from somewhere instate doing one-day trips and others are just traveling through the area, like from Texas to somewhere else, and they are stopping on their way.”

Waters said France, Canada and England are at least three of the countries guests have come from, and they were visiting in Meridian.

“I was here one day when someone came from France and their son was stationed out at the base,” she said.

Mickie Allen, a resident of Collinsville, was visiting Merrehope on Wednesday with her granddaughter, Sadie Ulmer, and her friend Madelyn Trosper, both of Bailey.

“I have four grandchildren, and they get to choose something they would like to do with their Mimi,” she said.

Sadie chose coming to see the Trees of Christmas because she said, “We came last year, and they were very pretty.”

In early December, Theresa Pickett and Jeffrey Fontaine, who are from Jacksonville, Florida, visited Merrehope’s Trees of Christmas, according to a post on the historic home’s Facebook page. The couple said they love old homes and history, and thought they would visit after seeing social media photos of this year’s decorated Christmas trees.

While taking the tour, much to Pickett’s surprise, Fontaine asked her to marry him. Pickett, of course, said yes, according to the post.

Another couple, Patricia Wolgamott and Paul Souligny, of Lauderdale County, also got engaged during Trees of Christmas when he proposed and she said yes, according to another post on Facebook.

This year’s Mimosas & Merrehope, an annual Saturday morning event with tours, live entertainment, brunch fare and mimosas, was sold out, Hatten said. The event is limited to 60 attendees.

One of the nighttime events, Spirits of Christmas, drew a large crowd as well this year, Hatten said. Attendees brought their own spirits and enjoyed the Trees of Christmas at night under the Christmas lights with live entertainment provided by Terry Cherry and Bill Carpenter.

Hatten said it is not too late to see the Trees of Christmas for residents who still have not attended. Merrehope will be open daily for the tours through Dec. 31, but will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for military and senior citizens, and $5 for students.

The holiday season at Merrehope will close out with a “Toast Together” reception from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, on the final day of the 55th Annual Trees of Christmas.

Merrehope is located at 905 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Meridian.