Tree-mendous!

Selicia Kennedy-Ross

The crowd grew more excited with each passing second as the countdown to

the lighting of the nation’s tallest Christmas tree drew to a close

Friday evening.

Three.

Two.

One.

For the third year in a row, Fashion Island shopping center is home to

the largest Christmas tree in the country.

Larger than the national Christmas tree in Washington, D.C. and the

Rockefeller Center tree in New York City, Fashion Island’s tree was lit

for the first time before a crowd of more than 5,000.

At 110 feet high and weighing 17,000 pounds, the tremendous tree stands

in the middle of Bloomingdale’s court shimmering with 15,000 white lights

and gold and red ornaments.

The Christmas tree was harvested through a special program that plants 14

trees to replace the single tree cut down, said Vito Serrao, vice

president of Victor’s Strictly Custom Christmas Trees. The company

arranges for the tree to be delivered from Mount Shasta in Northern

California.

It took a 10-person crew working 12-hour shifts for two weeks to decorate

the tree -- stringing lights and hanging ornaments, said Nina Robinson,

spokesperson for Fashion Island.

“It was so nice -- I liked all of it,” said 8-year-old Jessica Wilson of

Rancho Santa Margarita.

The crowd enjoyed something different this year -- a musical program

during the lighting performed by students from Orange County High School

of the Arts in Los Alamitos. A group of 45 students danced and sang to a

medley of Christmas songs, which culminated in a finale with a shower of

gold, purple and green glitter raining down on the dancers.

“I loved the energy, I loved the crowd,” said 18-year-old Keith Short,

Orange County High student who performed. “We were really nervous.”

Tustin resident Tina Fernandez said the group put on an impressive show.

I thought it was wonderful -- the kids were fantastic,” she said.

John and Kathy Buckholz of La Habra also enjoyed the performance.

“They’re a very talented group, very high-energy,” John Buckholz said.

Overall, the tree lighting -- a tradition for Fashion Island -- appeared

successful.

“It was wonderful,” said Placentia resident Yvonne Buchanan.

“Well worth coming to. We’ll be back next year.”