The Christmas spirit can now be felt at Araneta City after marking the start of the holiday season with the lighting of its Christmas tree at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

Forty-three years since the inaugural festivity, the commercial mixed-use urban development dubbed as the “City of Firsts” continues to bring good cheer with the theme “A Christmas Bliss: Making New Memories” and colorful lights through out the area and performances by various celebrities.

Leading the lighting of the giant Christmas tree were Veana Araneta Fores, director for Special Projects of Uniprom Inc. representing the Araneta group; chief operating officer Irene Jose; and fifth-generation Araneta children. With them as well were TV host Vice Ganda, SB19 vocalist Josh Cullen and Binibining Pilipinas queens Myrna Esguerra, Christal Jean de la Cruz, Trisha Martinez and Chelsea Fernandez.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Vice Mayor Giancarlo Sotto, and other local officials graced the festivities, with the mayor addressing the crowd about keeping the spirit of Christmas alive despite the hardships faced by Filipinos with the recent typhoons.

“We are asked to choose kindness and grace, especially to those whose light has grown dimmer due to difficult circumstances, and as Filipinos, we are asked to tap in[to] the joy we carry in our hearts, to make an active choice to find pockets of happiness no matter what,” Belmonte said. “Over the next few weeks, magiging busy tayo dahil sa Christmas rush, pero sana wag natin kalimutan ang tunay na diwa ng kapaskuhan, ang pag-asa na dala ng bagong simula.”

Up-and-coming P-pop boy group Bilib kicked off the celebration, performing their latest single, “Say Whatcha Wanna Say,” and serenading the audience with “Simpleng Pasko.” WRIVE also arrived, covering Skusta Clee and Gloc 9’s collaboration, “Karma,” and their original track, “Color Crash.” Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids grand finalists Imogen and Kelsey charmed the audience with their own performances of “Mini Ms. U” and Bruno Mars and Rose’s “Apt.” remixed with Vice Ganda’s “Boom Panes,” eliciting laughter from the crowd. Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11 winner Fyang Smith was one of the most awaited personalities of the night, with her fans arriving at the Araneta Center as early as noon, waving purple banners in support. The grand winner performed a cover of Orange and Lemons’ “Hanggang Kailan,” followed by “Love Story” of pop star Taylor Swift, garnering cheers from the audience. Along with Smith was her fellow housemate and runner-up Kai Montonalo, who excited the audience with her live performance of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me.”

Singer-songwriter Josh Cullen blazed onstage with a solo performance of his collaboration with rapper Al James “Yoko Na” and “1999” keeping the hype up amid the night. The “Unkabogable” box office star Vice Ganda headlined the night with a medley of songs by Rihanna, with the crowd singing alongside her in an explosive rendition of “California King Bed.” Capping off the night was a vibrant fireworks display to the tune of Leo Valdez’s “Kampana ng Simbahan,” lighting up the Cubao skyline as a perfect cherry on top of the festivities.

First lit in 1981, Araneta Center’s Giant Christmas Tree returns to its original location, in front of the Big Dome. Originally at 85 feet, it is now at 100 feet, weighing 5,000 kilograms, and with 800 decorative balls, 50 lanterns and kilometers of festive straws. Its thousands of 10 watts incandescent bulbs are linked by electric wiring 50 meters long.