Fir Sure

Outlets at Anthem erects Arizona’s tallest Christmas tree

By Garrison Murphy

The Outlets at Anthem has set up Arizona’s largest Christmas tree for the 17th year in a row. The tree is a white fir and stands 80 feet tall, 22 feet wide and weighs close to four tons completely decorated.

“For many Arizona residents, the Outlets at Anthem tree arrival is truly the start of the holiday season,” says Christina Henning, general manager and marketing director for Outlets at Anthem. “Each year, our shoppers look forward to the holiday excitement at Outlets at Anthem. From the Tree Lighting Concert to our Moonlight Madness Shopping Event on Thanksgiving to our magical Santa’s Cottage, there are so many festive and fun events happening at our center this year.”

The tree traveled 750 miles on a flatbed truck from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on the California/Oregon border. Two miles of lights and 5,000 ornaments adorn the tree – all placed by hand. Once the holiday season is over, the tree will be recycled.

With the tree comes a host of holiday festivities for shoppers. Some of these include Santa’s Cottage, which will be open through Christmas Eve; Santa Cares, a sensory-friendly opportunity for special needs families to visit Santa on December 2 and 9 from 9 to 11 a.m.; and Santa Paws, an opportunity to take photos of your pet with Santa on December 3 and 4.

“The purpose of the tree every year is to give back to our shoppers who have been coming to our stores all year,” Henning says. “It has really become a tradition.”