Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Kansas City, MO

Website: http://www.crowncenter.com/Event/Event.asp?EventRef=Lighting

The 100-foot-tall Mayor's Christmas Tree, one of the nation's tallest, is the centerpiece for an illuminating holiday celebration. Chef Celina Tio, who recently made it to the final four on The Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef," will join Mayor Mark Funkhouser to light the tree. The tree is a symbol of the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund, which is dedicated to assisting the city's less fortunate.

After the holidays, the wood from the Mayor's Christmas Tree is made into commemorative ornaments, which are sold the following year to benefit the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund.