I was challenged by a tweet, to attend the holiday lighting in downtown Saint Louis. This event was sponsored by Macy’s and primarily benefits the Mayor’s Christmas Tree for the Salvation Army. Not bad. Macy’s, as we all know is a great corporate sponsor of community events, especially those they can monetize with Santa visiting. Additionally, the Salvation Army is one of the most respected community support agency/ministry in the world. However, I grew up in Kansas City, MO—across the State of Missouri. In Kansas City, there are two events I try not to miss no matter where I am living. The Holiday lighting of the Country Club Plaza shopping district and the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting held at Crown Center, home of Hallmark Cards.
First, I like holiday lights at the holidays, not before and for not long after. Second, I like them on a grand scale. My spouse and I frequently strike out in search of private and public displays of illuminated holiday cheer. Now, bigger is not better. Tasteful is important too. Garish displays earn a low rating from me even when they have a lot of lights.
The Holiday Lighting in Saint Louis fell short of my hopes for scale and beauty, but did have an awe factor with the added fireworks. I will support the “bell ringers” and the fund during the season of giving, but I wasn’t inspired. Saint Louis has a long way to go to beat what Kansas City does to inspire. First,
KC has two different lightings. One is held on Thanksgiving night, the other the next night. They both attract hordes of participants. Participants? Yes Participants. In my 39 years of attending the Plaza Lighting (80 years this year), there are always over 100,000 people in attendance. Everyone participates with singing along with the choir, dancing in the streets, and flashing pictures at the big moment. The Country Club Plaza is like no other shopping district anywhere. It has beautiful Spanish-inspired architecture, beautifully outlined with multi-colored lights for the big night and season to come. The lights are installed beginning in August and tested several times for reliability and aesthetics. I like that normally, the principle “towers’ of the Plaza always have the same single-color bulbs every year. They have become like a signature. I like that it is HUGE. I like that it is tasteful. This first lighting is dedicated to the holiday buying and giving season—you know, merchandising.
The second lighting of the season is held at Crown Center nearer the CBD of KC. With Hallmark as a hometown, corporate sponsor, they pull out all the stops. Again, there is a choir, there are speeches to explain the charitable purpose of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree fund, there are candles to hold while we sing Silent Night. This is a night for remembering to give to those who need it most. Still, the ceremony is attended by thousands of participants. The financial goal is always lofty, but it is always met. The scene is the courtyard between the Hallmark corporate offices and the Crown Center Shopping Center. It has an ice-skating rink in the backdrop and Santa’s village in the foreground. In Kansas City, the Mayor’s Christmas Tree fund was for many years chaired by a Jewish business man. We grew to love him and believe he was like Saint Nicholas. Jerry, has since passed away, but the spirit of giving, partially inspired by that night of
singing together in the Crown Center Court yard will never pass away.
I will always try to attend the Lightings in Kansas City, but I hope to add the Saint Louis Holiday Lighting to my holiday preparations each year. Here’s to the season of giving, because of the great gift given us. And here’s to all the ways we are inspired and the holidays brightened.
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