Experience a ‘Christmas Like No Other’
Since 1981, Araneta City has been marking its holiday festivities with a grand lighting ceremony of its giant Christmas tree. After years of isolation, the commercial and leisure center welcomes Filipinos back to its space to celebrate the season, starting with that annual tradition.
Last Oct. 28, Christmas officially arrived at the City of First as it illuminated its iconic 100-ft. Christmas tree located at Times Square Park in Cubao, Quezon City. A truly spectacular sight, the tree is adorned with 3,000 pieces LED bulbs, 2,000 pieces of Christmas balls, 100 pieces of hot air balloon ornaments, 1,000 pieces of pine garlands, and other Christmas decorations.
To mark the occasion, celebrity couple KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, and "Idol Philippines" season 2 alums Kice and Khimo Gumatay, and TV host and comedian Vice Ganda graced the stage and gave performances to entertain special guests and the audience. Leading the show were hosts Samantha Bernardo and Robi Domingo.
As one of its partners, the Manila Bulletin is one with Araneta City in reviving the magical spirit of Filipino Christmas and making it more meaningful in our pandemic-new normal milieu. To do just that, the Manila Bulletin invited everyone to participate in its upcoming “Beyond Green” event, its first sustainability forum happening from Nov. 23 to 24.
Also attending the ceremony were Binibining Pilipinas queens Stacey Gabriel (Bb. Pilipinas second runner-up 2022), Chelsea Fernandez (Bb. Pilipinas Globe 2022), Maureen Montagne (Miss Globe 2021), and Hannah Arnold (Bb. Pilipinas International 2021), together with Quezon City officials and Araneta City executives led by Marjorie Go, AVP for marketing.
"We, Filipinos, certainly know how to turn this season into the most wonderful time of the year,” Go says. “Our celebration stands out from the rest in the world because of how long and festive our observance is. 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.”
This year, Araneta City’s festivities play with the theme “Christmas Like No Other.” Filipino families can guarantee a holiday that is special, memorable, and close to home at the City of First with the comeback of its signature holiday offerings.
Opening this November are two classic Christmas attractions in Araneta City, the Christmas on Display and Fiesta Carnival. The public will experience once again its 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, a popular amusement theme park, with the installation of modern carnival rides and other funfairs.
"Araneta City is a place of memorable Christmas nostalgia,” Go says. “As we revive Christmas on Display and Fiesta Carnival that the batang (kids from the) ‘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.”
To stay updated with Araneta City’s Yuletide celebrations, visit @aranetacity on Facebook and Instagram.
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