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This Lorentz Kleiser Kleisser painting about 1952 shows the Christmas decorations at Shangri La. Courtesy photo
A new Shangri-La tradition
Center hopes to assist OCS with event
ORANGE — A new Christmas tradition begins this Tuesday night at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center by providing a twist to an old tradition.
Mike Hoke, director of Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, invites the public to attend what he hopes will be a new annual event at the facility this Tuesday, and again Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, as area choirs will provide Christmas carols while helping gather non-perishable food items to assist Orange Christian Services.
“Shangri La is starting a new Christmas tradition that revisits Lutcher Stark’s practice in the 1940s of decorating a large Christmas tree and displaying a nativity scene on the grounds,” Hoke said. “We’re inviting families from all over to join us to get into the spirit of the season and even join in the caroling.”
The event is free to the public from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will be held in the courtyard of Shangri La. The Orangefield High School Choir will perform at the first of the three weekly events.
All guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs as everyone sits around the large 25-foot tall living California Redwood tree, which was brought in special just for this event.
Hoke said the old Lutcher Stark tradition included a tree as tall as 70-feet and had lights strung around it by the fire department. The old tradition also include a life-size nativity scene.
The new Shangri La tradition will not have such a tree or nativity scene, but it will include approximately 4,000 lights. The tree will be decorated by Shangri La volunteers with as many green ornaments as possible. Once Christmas is over, the tree will be planted in the garden.
The event is being held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., each Tuesday through Dec. 15. The Orangefield High School choir will sing this Tuesday, while the Volunteer Choir of Shangri La will sing on Dec. 8 and the Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School choir sings on Dec. 15.
While admission to these events is free, Shangri La visitors are urged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to Orange Christian Services.
“We would love to be able to collect 500 to 1,000 cans of food for Orange Christian Services,” Hoke said. “And I think we can do it with the public’s help. I know this is just the first year, but I believe every year we do this event it will get bigger and better.”
Refreshments will be available at the Star and Crescent Moon Café after each performance. The Garden Store will also be open for our guests to shop for holiday treasures.
Shangri La is located at 2111 W. Park Ave. in Orange. Call 409-670-9113 or visit www.shangrilagardens.org for more information.
The Shangri La Visitor Parking area, located across West Park Avenue from Shangri La, will be open and available to Shangri La visitors free of charge. A restricted access parking lot for vehicles with proper handicap designation is located just inside the vehicular entrance gate of Shangri La.
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