The Christmas season is definitely in high gear as SM Supermalls in Mindanao held their ceremonial mall lighting ceremonies last week.
The annual spectacles started last November 8 with SM Lanang Premier taking Dabawenyos on a whirl of wonder with a grand 58-foot tall Christmas Tree taking over the atrium of the mall. Clad in over 2,000 iridescent white and red balls and layered with hundreds of sets of Christmas lights, the giant tree is flanked by larger-than-life reindeer and moving animals in a winter-themed set that brings mall goes to points closer to the North Pole.
During the celebration, guests were entertained by performances by dancers from the Natili Cruz School of Ballet, ballerinas from the Royeca School of Ballet. The UIC String Orchestra filled the air with holiday tunes that set the jovial mood. On the center stage spotlight were TV host and freelance model Carole Monique “Blinky” De Leon and SM Little Stars 2017 Grand Winner Gaea Mischa Salipot.
Outside, SM Lanang Premier’s famous Tunnel of Lights return to the Northwing Event Grounds. Made of thousands of twinkling lights, the light installation is a great place to have a selfie or two.
Ice in the south
Not wanting to be bested by its sibling, SM City Davao launched its Christmas centerpiece and tree by bringing the magic of Disney with Olaf’s Frozen Adventure last November 10 at the malls Annex Event Center.
Shoppers can walk through the mall’s centerpiece– winter time at Arendelle Castle accented by a 15-foot Christmas tree. Mall-goers can join Olaf and his friends relive sights and sounds from the much-loved animated film, Frozen. A Disney frozen Toy Fair also awaits Olaf’s fans at the Annex Event Center.
Adding to the cool affair, Mindanao’s first ice skating rink was opened after a passionate performance by figure skater Bianca Vinarao who led the Adventures on Ice launch.
A season of sharing too
Going beyond the glitter and sparkle of the Christmas season, SM Supermalls also launched its Share-a-Bear campaign. For only P200 shoppers can take home a bear and give one to a child in need. At SM Lanang Premier the SM Bears of Joy booth at 2nd Level Mezzanine fronting Starbucks while at SM City Davao, the booth is located at the Annex Event Center and will be on offer from November 8 to December 31.
It was also a week of giving “SM City Davao hosted 20 kids from different CSSDO Day Care Centers in our nearby communities. We treated them to a fun day at the mall with mall train and carousel rides, hearty and filling meal, as well as fun games at the World of Fun,” vice president for operations in Mindanao Oliver John R. Tiu shares. The kids also received gifts from the mall’s tenants.
Tiu encouraged everyone to share in the fun as SM fill its halls with joyful sounds, overflowing festive tastes and lots and lots of heart-warming Christmas feels that mark a distinct and truly merry SM Christmas experience, happening all the way through the first week of January.
