Christmas in Ovalle: With 55 meters high and decorated with more than 1500 lights, the Christmas tree turns the main meeting point of the city into a real postcard.
Decorated with 1,600 LED lights and 55 meters high, the largest natural Christmas tree in Chile and one of the tallest in Latin America began to shine in the heart of Ovalle. The person in charge of lighting it was the mayor Claudio Rentería, who was accompanied by adults and children, who, despite the pandemic, did not want to miss this special moment.
Due to the care that we must take as a result of Covid-19, this year the municipality of Ovalle decided not to hold acts, or artistic performances, to avoid crowds of people.“We are experiencing difficult times due to the pandemic, and for the same reason I believe these traditions should never be lost, because they make our souls happy. Our Christmas tree is a symbol of the Christmas spirit in our community and a pride for all, because it is the largest in Chile,” said the mayor of Ovalle, Claudio Rentería.
The tree has 20 garlands of 80 bulbs of 5 watt each, which guarantees a high level of luminosity and low energy consumption. Both ovallinos and tourists will be able to enjoy its charms until next January 31st.
Several families came to the main square to enjoy this special day. “I come every year. My parents always brought me and now I follow this tradition with my two daughters, ”said Mariela Zapata. Likewise, Jorge Fernández, who attended with his daughter, said that ”it is a very special moment. I’ve been in Chile for a few months and I think these traditions are very beautiful and meaningful, especially for children ”.
Francisco Acuña, 10 years old, wanted to witness this moment and said that “I like the Christmas tree, because it is very beautiful and I knew that it is the largest in Chile, so I am happy to come with my parents. According to official data of the Council of National Monuments, the Christmas tree of Ovalle is the biggest in the country, of natural type, since the others that exist are artificial. Likewise, there is a record that in the year 2015 was registered in the Guinness Book of Records, as the largest natural Christmas tree in the world.