FOR the second time, Tagum City’s giant holiday tree at the New City Hall grounds will be lighted at 6 p.m. on November 25, with a traditional Yuletide revelry program to be led by City Mayor Allan Lopez Rellon.
“This year the giant holiday tree will be more elaborate, more colorful and more symbolic, different from last year’s tree,” the mayor said in an interview on Monday.
He said the giant Christmas tree would be at least a foot higher than the 172-foot tree set up last year due to a taller symbolic figure to be placed on its top for this year’s edition. Last year, it had an eight-pointed star at the apex.
The City Hall’s engineering crew is still refurbishing it based on the mayor’s directive.
November 25 is the eve of the city’s Christ the King parochial feast and local and foreign Boy Scout leaders for the sixth Asean Scout Jamboree (November 27 to December 4) will then arrive on that day for their final meeting on the feast day.
“The leaders of the Asean Jamboree would be valued guests who will witness the lighting of our giant holiday tree,” Rellon said.
The setting up of a giant holiday tree at the front grounds of the New City Hall was first launched last year after the old giant Christmas tree had been discontinued at the Freedom Stage grounds, back of the old City Hall in downtown area.
The city’s giant Christmas tree tradition has been an attraction each Yuletide Season since the late-1990s.
As in the past, thousands of multicolored magnificent small lights and dazzling colorful lanterns and decors strewn around the body of the city’s holiday tree are expected to sparkle and give a good night shot ideal for selfies.
The height of the city’s giant Christmas tree varied at times.
Former Mayor Rey T. Uy started the tradition during his one term as mayor from 2001 to 2003 at the back of the old City Hall. The holiday tree was shorter, smaller then.
The tallest giant Christmas tree per record was 153 feet in 2007 during the comeback administration of Uy. In the years prior to 2007, its height kept on increasing.
But in 2008 its height was lowered to 100 feet. During the 2010 Christmas Season, it was raised again to 106 feet. In 2015 it measured 105 feet.
It is both fiesta time and Christmas time in Tagum City once again. Meanwhile, 13 talented women will vie for the Talent Show on November 21 and for the grand pageant finals on Nov. 23, to held at the New City Hall’s Atrium Activity Area.