SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy and Prima Ballerina Liza Macuja-Elizalde share honors during the lighting ceremony of SM Mall of Asia’s giant Christmas tree.

Everything is grand and glorious at the SM Mall of Asia at it showcases the holidays with a Christmas wonderland celebration. At the center of all the activities is the giant Christmas tree at the mall’s atrium.

The towering 42-foot tree is decorated with thousands of gold Christmas balls and stars, and the start of the holiday season was signaled with a tree-lighting ceremony held recently.

During the event, prima ballerina Liza Macuja-Elizalde performed to the strains of Georg Frederick Handel’s “Alleluia” well and the classic Filipino carol “Pasko Na Naman,” as interpreted by the Las Piñas Boys Choir. SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy and Macuja-Elizalde led the tree-lighting ceremony.

Throughout the Yuletide season, music will fill the mall with the Grand Symphony of Voices, a series of performances by some of the country’s top choral groups, like the UP Singing Ambassadors and Coro Tomasino.  This is held daily at the mall’s atrium.

THE Las Piñas Boys Choir performs National Artist Lucio San Pedro’s classic “Awiting Pamasko.”

Not to be missed is the Grand Christmas Choir Tree Performance  at the San Miguel By the Bay. The country’s first outdoor singing tree is 53 feet tall, covered with gigantic lights, spiral in shape, and will provide the stage for the country’s top chorale groups.

Grand musical plays staged by top theater groups like Trumpets and Theater Down South will provide the heartwarming entertainment to the whole family at the mall atrium every Sunday. The Underwater Christmas Adventure on December 14 is a story of five different creatures under the sea in Atlantica, which is threatened by the long-lasting enmity between the sharks and the sea creatures.

Christmas at Fairy Tale Ville, on the other hand, is the story of well-loved fairy-tale characters Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel, who are invited to the prince’s Christmas party which is, in turn, threatened by the Step Mom’s Club and the Witch’s Federation.

This will be shown on December 25 at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia at 6 pm.

Kids will certainly think big this Christmas in the Dino Live Theme Park.  Enjoy world-class entertainment, dino movies and dino games at this exhibit of life-sized robotic dinosaurs ongoing until January 11 at the SM Mall of Asia.

The highlight of the festivities is the “Grand Festival of Lights,” with its dazzling themed floats, dancers and other performers.  This will be held on all Saturdays of December (except December 27) and on Christmas Day.