Araneta City kicks off "Christmas Like No Other" with lighting of iconic giant tree
This holiday season, Araneta City brightens up once again for a Yuletide celebration like no other through its iconic giant Christmas tree.
The City of Firsts lits its 100-ft Christmas tree in a star-studded festivity on October 28 to kick off Araneta City's "Christmas Like No Other" celebration for 2022.
For this year, the giant Christmas tree sparkles in mostly red and gold colors to suit the carnival theme. It is adorned with 3,000 pieces LED bulbs, 2,000 pieces Christmas balls, 100 pieces hot air balloon ornaments, 1,000 pieces pine garlands, and other Christmas ornaments.
The much-awaited annual event features appearances and performances of celebrities Vice Ganda, KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, and Idol Philippines Season 2 alums Kice and Khimo Gumatay, with Robi Domingo and Samantha Bernardo as hosts. They were joined by Araneta City executives, Quezon City officials, and Binibining Pilipinas queens in lighting one of the oldest and most iconic Christmas symbols in the metro.
"We, Filipinos, certainly know how to turn this season into the most wonderful time of the year. Our celebration stands out from the rest in the world because of how long and festive our observance is. And Araneta City's four-decade tradition of lighting its giant Christmas tree is clearly a testament to this distinctively-Pinoy mark in celebrating the holidays," Marjorie Go, AVP for Marketing of Araneta City, said.
Watch our livestream of the giant Christmas tree lighting event:
Christmas classics revived
The lighting of the giant Christmas tree has been an annual tradition of Araneta City since 1981. Thousands of people watch the lighting event, and take selfies and souvenir photos with the towering holiday symbol.
Apart from the giant Christmas tree, two classic Christmas attractions in Araneta City -- the Christmas on Display and Fiesta Carnival -- will make an exciting comeback this year.
The public will set its sight once again in a traditional outdoor Christmas on Display, with life-size animated mannequins portraying the classic story of the Nativity. Kids and kids-at-heart will feel the fun vibe of Fiesta Carnival, once a popular amusement theme park, with the installation of modern carnival rides and attractions.
"Araneta City is a place of memorable Christmas nostalgia. As we revive COD and Fiesta Carnival that the batang 70s to 90s used to enjoy, we want the City of First to bring the most joy and excitement to people even to the younger generations. There's definitely no Christmas like no other than in Araneta City, the City of Firsts," Go said.
Araneta City's Christmas on Display and Fiesta Carnival will open in November 2022.