1,000 memory crystal balls and a 20-meter Christmas tree   plus a giant gingerbread house

▲2015 Regent Christmas Tree Lighting Event (Photo / Provided by Regent Taipei)

ReporterYan Xintong/ Comprehensive Report

Regent Taipeihas illuminated the Christmas tree in its atrium, featuring 1,000 memory crystal balls that recount the hotel’s 23-year history. Standing at a total height of 42TN (approximately 14.6 meters) and reaching over three floors high, the tree is adorned with 27,000 LED bulbs, 2,600 colorful ribbons, 5,000 shimmering gold and silver balls, 1,500 gold pine cones, and 2,100 poinsettias, with a cost exceeding NT$1 million.

As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, the event is even more grandiose, with the Christmas tree’s crystal balls featuring photos of guests taken during their stays at the Regent. These photos were printed and placed inside transparent “Christmas crystal wish balls,” sprinkled with tiny Styrofoam balls representing falling snow, tied with festive ribbons, and then hung one by one on the tree. These cherished memories will accompany the Regent through its 25th Christmas holiday.

Adjacent to Taipei Arena,Taipei Dynasty Hotelhas transformed its premises into a European-style Christmas market, featuring the largest gingerbread house in Taipei City, crafted from thousands of handmade gingerbread pieces. The Christmas market runs from the 20th until January 4, 2016, continuing last year’s “Super Gingerbread House,” which is displayed in the hotel’s first-floor lobby. In addition, there are handcrafted fairy-tale gingerbread arches, gingerbread castles, and cozy gingerbread cottages, filling the hotel with a strong Christmas atmosphere—like stepping into a dreamy scene from abroad.

▲Taipei Dynasty Hotel creates Taipei’s largest gingerbread house (Photo / Provided by Taipei Dynasty Hotel)

This giant gingerbread house is entirely made from 250 kilograms of real ingredients and over 2,000 gingerbread pieces of various sizes, assembled with handmade royal icing as adhesive. It’s large enough for people to walk inside, measuring 300 cm wide, 240 cm deep, and 285 cm tall. The super gingerbread house, using thousands of gingerbread pieces, is the soul of the display. Additionally, there is a 650 cm long, 40 cm deep, and 250 cm tall “fairy-tale gingerbread arch,” a 100 cm wide, 70 cm deep, and 110 cm tall “fairy-tale gingerbread castle,” and a 50 cm wide, 35 cm deep, and 40 cm tall “cozy gingerbread cottage,” all meticulously crafted from gingerbread and installed in the first-floor atrium café, connecting various areas of the hotel with festive charm.

▲Taipei’s largest gingerbread house is located in the atrium café (Photo / Provided by Taipei Dynasty Hotel)

Shangri-La’s Far Eastern International Hotel in Tainanhas also lit up its Christmas tree, which is part of a charitable event. The annual “Love and Hope” Christmas tree lighting ceremony kicked off with a performance of angelic Christmas carols by children from the Nansheng Church in Tainan City. During the event, Santa Claus led children from the Tainan Family Service Center, whom the hotel has long supported. Together with General Manager Chad Mason, Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau Director Wang Shih-si, Social Affairs Bureau Director Liu Shu-hui, and representatives from the Tainan Family Service Center, they officially lit up the 20-meter-high Christmas tree amidst a festive atmosphere, with its silver lights shining brightly to herald the arrival of the holiday season.

▲Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Tainan lights up the Christmas tree alongside a charity event. (Photo / Provided by Shangri-La’s Far Eastern International Hotel, Tainan)

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