Nation's Tallest Christmas Tree - Fashion Island, Newport Beach, California

I took both boys over to Fashion Island tonight.

That's me, your local tour guide, having a bite to eat at the food court (photo by American Power progeny #2). The mall features both indoor and outdoor amenities, like the Japanese koi pond in the second and third shots below (both boys are seated at center, third picture down, looking away):

Every Christmas the shopping center imports a massive white fir tree from the Mt. Shasta area, in the Cascade mountains of Northern California. Here's the "story" of the tree:

The second paragraph reads:

The Christmas tree represents Fashion Island's dedication to preserving the environment while providing our with the best of holiday traditions. Please enjoy this spectacular tree with peace of mind, knowing that tremendous care was taken to preserve the environment.

My youngest boy took this next shot:

I stepped back a little for this one. Might be a little under 100 feet tall, or at least it doesn't seem as tall as the tree they had a couple of years ago. Either way, it's big:

Around to the left, I walked up to take this shot, holding the camera low:

The ornaments at bottom are massive, the size of cantaloupes. Here's a shot of the base of the tree with "presents":

Here's this from an information page:

Normally a white fir from northern California's Mt. Shasta, the tree features 17,000 lights and ornaments, and weighs approximately 20,000 lbs. It requires a 10-man crew approx. two weeks to decorate the giant beauty. The enormous tree makes its home in the Bloomingdale's Courtyard of Fashion Island.

I should have some pictures from the Spectrum Mall in Irvine tomorrow or the next day. They build an outdoor ice rink every year, which is quite fabulous.