With the lighting of the Christmas tree and street decorations in Centro, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the holiday season is officially in full swing.

Hundreds of residents and families watched as the Christmas tree was lit at exactly 8 p.m. on Friday. Cheers erupted but they were quickly drowned out by the traditional fireworks display. The city had setup long lines on the opposite end of the park to distribute tamales and beverages to the people.

Along with the tree, hundreds of thousands of fairy lights in the Plaza Principal’s jardin lit up, as did the strings of bejeweled tin stars that hang overhead on all the streets feeding into the plaza.

It was a sight to take your breath away.

Following the tree lighting, a variety of characters took to the main stage, including the Grinch, Cindi Lou Who, some very animated Nutcracker soldiers, other entertainers, and of course, Senor Santa Claus. They provided some raucous interactive entertainment for the hundreds of children in the crowd.

¡Feliz Navidad a todos!

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Some video from the holiday revue

Meanwhile, next door at Casa Europa

At the same time as the San Miguel Christmas tree lighting festivities were going on, Operisima Mexico was holding its annual Navidad Concierto de Opera at Casa Europa, right around the corner. Fourteen beautiful voices were lifted up in celebration of the Holiday Songbook.

They gave us three versions of Ave Maria — from Schubert, Gounod, and Caccini. We heard Panis Angelicus, Adeste Fideles, Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Silent Night and, as you can see in the poorly made video above, a moving version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

During a gentle version of “El Nino del Tambour” (Little Drummer Boy), the air above detonated with the fireworks from next door, just as the chorus hit the refrain “Pah rump a pum pum.”

Classic San Miguel serendipity and magic.