The countdown to Christmas at The Peninsula Manila starts on Friday, 6 October, with The Lobby’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

From the moment of arrival, guests will step into holiday cheer with The Lobby’s dazzling 45-foot Christmas tree all lit up while catching up with friends and family and falling in love all over again with Philippine Christmas traditions over great food, drinks and festivities.

While the lights and decorations have changed through the years, The Peninsula Manila’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony has remained a quintessential Manila experience for Manileños and visitors alike since December 1976 when then general manager George Fraschina first lit the holiday season’s most festive tree decorated with thousands of red, white and green bulbs.

Forty-seven years later, current GM Masahisa Oba continues this message of hope and peace of lighting up the tree with the children from Virlanie Foundation.

“This will be my fifth Christmas in Manila, but the buzz of excitement in the city with its holiday parties and festive gatherings never fades,” says Oba. “This is because at The Peninsula Manila, we make the holiday season easy with planning everything from festive hampers ready for pick-up in our gingerbread house to Christmas decorations in our guest rooms, making it our guests’ home away from home for the holidays.”

The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will also coincide with a festive concert that will have the Lighter Side Movement Orchestra and Chorale, along with The Peninsula Strings, performing holiday tunes that guests can sing along to while enjoying a festive merienda buffet at The Lobby. Prices are P3,500 (including a flute of Champagne); P2,500 (adults); and P250 (children under 12) inclusive of taxes.

Guests should book their tables now as they are going faster than they can spell C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S.

Call 8887-2888, extensions 6691 and 6694 (Restaurant Reservations), e-mail [email protected] or visit peninsula.com.