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Christmas with kids in Tagum
In Tagum, the Christmas tree is a yearly contest with itself. The city lit a 231-foot tree at City Hall Square in 2025, 29 feet taller than the year before, and the town that was once called Magugpo keeps the numbers going up.
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The story of Christmas in Tagum
A tree that gets taller every year
Tagum had an unofficial record for the tallest Christmas tree in the Philippines when its tree stood 153 feet at Freedom Park behind City Hall. The city has kept stretching it since. The 2019 tree reached 193 feet, up from 186 the year before, and about 40,000 people came to the lighting on December 1, the first day of Advent.
That tree had ten layers for the city's development plan and lights that blink in three colors for Tagum's Lumad, Christian and Muslim communities. Twenty-three small stars stood for the 23 barangays.
Carnival balloons on a 231-foot tree
On November 21, 2025, Tagum lit a 231-foot tree at City Hall Square, 29 feet taller than the 202-foot tree of 2024. The theme was a carnival: 189 hot air balloon decorations, a Ferris wheel design at the top and 1,881 boxes of rice bulbs.
Around the base, clowns, acrobats and magicians performed, and families could try carnival games. The Avenida Food Bazaar and the Mindanao Floriculture Exhibition ran alongside. On December 13, the city also held a children's gift-giving at the Herminigildo Baloyo MD Hall Theater, with the Voices of the South Children's Choir singing.
Indigo, a tree under the sea and a city of festivals
Tagum is a Cebuano word for indigo, and the city used to be called Magugpo. It became a city on March 7, 1998. Its nicknames include Palm City of the Philippines and Marching Show Band Capital of the Philippines.
In 2023 the tree was 198 feet tall and themed Christmas Tree Under the Sea, with 350 sea creature decorations and 114,000 LED rice bulbs. That year marked the 25th year of the holiday tree tradition. Instead of private fireworks, the city holds one New Year fireworks display for everyone.
Traditions today
- The giant City Hall tree: Each November the city lights a new tree at City Hall Square. The 2025 tree stood 231 feet and was built around a carnival theme.
- Food bazaar at the tree: The Avenida Food Bazaar set up beside the 2025 lighting, so families could eat while the shows ran.
- Mindanao Floriculture Exhibition: Flower displays ran next to the tree in 2025 as part of the same celebration.
- Children's gift-giving: On December 13, 2025, the city held a children's gift-giving at the Herminigildo Baloyo MD Hall Theater, with the Voices of the South Children's Choir.
- Blessing and carols at the lighting: In 2023 Bishop Medel Aseo blessed the tree, local children sang and musicians played a rondalla Christmas set.
- One New Year fireworks display: The city holds a single New Year fireworks display in place of private fireworks.
A fact for kids
Tagum's 2025 tree had 189 hot air balloons on it, and clowns, acrobats and magicians put on shows at its feet.
Questions about Christmas in Tagum
How tall is the Christmas tree in Tagum City?
The 2025 tree at City Hall Square stood 231 feet, lit on November 21, 2025. That is 29 feet taller than the 202-foot tree of 2024. The Tagum City Information Office says it aims to raise the height each year, so expect a new number when the 2026 tree is announced.
When is the Tagum Christmas tree lighting in 2026?
No 2026 date has been announced. Past lightings were November 24 in 2023, November 21 in 2025 and December 1 in 2019. Rally Takes the Train's Tagum Christmas events guide will add the date once the city or an official calendar confirms it.
What was the carnival theme of Tagum's 2025 tree?
The 2025 tree had a carnival theme. It carried 189 hot air balloon decorations, a Ferris wheel design at the top and 1,881 boxes of rice bulbs. At the base there were carnival games, which makes it an easy stop for kids who like color and moving shapes.
Who performed at the 2025 tree lighting in Tagum?
Clowns, acrobats and magicians performed around the 231-foot tree on November 21, 2025. The Avenida Food Bazaar and the Mindanao Floriculture Exhibition ran alongside the show, so families had food stalls and flower displays to walk through between acts. Families could also try the carnival games at the base of the tree.
Where is the giant Christmas tree in Tagum City?
The recent trees stand at City Hall Square in Tagum. An earlier 153-foot tree, which held an unofficial record as the tallest in the Philippines, stood at Freedom Park behind City Hall. Today's lighting happens at City Hall Square, so start there with kids.
How many people go to the Tagum tree lighting?
About 40,000 people were estimated at the lighting on December 1, 2019, including visitors from neighboring municipalities. That is a big crowd for one evening, so families with small children usually do well to arrive early and agree on a meeting spot.
What did the 2019 Tagum Christmas tree stand for?
The 193-foot tree had ten layers for the city's development plan, called EAGLE WINGS, and lights that blink in three colors for Tagum's Lumad, Christian and Muslim communities. Twenty-three small stars stood for the 23 barangays, and the big star had eight rays.
How did the 2023 Under the Sea tree look in Tagum?
The 2023 tree was lit on November 24 at City Hall Square. It stood 198 feet with 350 sea creature decorations, 114,000 LED rice bulbs and 4,000 meters of LED rope light. The theme promoted ocean and marine life conservation.
How long has Tagum had a giant holiday tree?
The 2023 lighting was described as the 25th year of the Holiday Tree tradition. The first tree to hold an unofficial tallest record stood 153 feet at Freedom Park, and the trees have grown taller since, reaching 231 feet in 2025.
Why is the tree lit on December 1 in some years?
In 2019 the lighting fell on December 1, the first day of Advent, which the mayor said gave the event symbolic meaning. Other years moved earlier, with lightings on November 24 in 2023 and November 21 in 2025. Check the city's announcement each year, since the date moves.
What does Tagum mean?
Tagum is a Cebuano color word meaning indigo. A less supported theory links it to a Kalagan word for the indigo plant. The city was formerly called Magugpo and was renamed Tagum by a municipal council resolution, which is why Magugpo still appears in some barangay names.
When did Tagum become a city?
Tagum became a city on March 7, 1998. It is the capital of Davao del Norte, and the 2024 census counted 300,042 people, making it the most populous component city in Mindanao. The 2023 lighting was called the 25th year of the Holiday Tree tradition.
What are Tagum's nicknames?
Tagum is called the Palm City of the Philippines, the City of Festivals, the Music Capital of the South and the Marching Show Band Capital of the Philippines. Its Musikahan Festival has shown off local musical talent every year since 1999.
Does Tagum have fireworks at Christmas?
The city holds one New Year fireworks display in place of private fireworks. That means families watch a single organized show rather than neighbors setting off their own. A surprise fireworks display also closed the 2023 tree lighting. Families who prefer quiet evenings can plan around that one night.
What happens at the Tagum tree lighting besides the lights?
In 2023 Bishop Medel Aseo blessed the tree, local children sang a choral piece and musicians played a rondalla Christmas set. Mayor Rey T. Uy also led a gift-giving for Cancer Warriors from Davao Regional Medical Center, and food stalls lined the area.
Besides the giant tree, what can kids do at Christmas in Tagum?
In 2025 the tree site had carnival games, clown, acrobat and magician shows, a food bazaar and a flower exhibition. On December 13 the city held a children's gift-giving at the Herminigildo Baloyo MD Hall Theater, where the Voices of the South Children's Choir sang.
Where can I take my kids for Christmas in Tagum City?
City Hall Square is the center of Christmas in Tagum, with the giant tree, shows, games and food stalls seen in 2025. Rally Takes the Train's Tagum Christmas events guide adds dated 2026 events once they are confirmed, so look there before you plan the trip.
Where do families spend Christmas Day in Tagum?
The programs are the November tree lighting and December events, not a set Christmas Day outing. Rally Takes the Train's Tagum Christmas events guide tracks any confirmed December 25 plans, and the City Hall Square tree remains the main place families head to in the season.
Which food and flower displays stood beside the 2025 tree?
The Avenida Food Bazaar and the Mindanao Floriculture Exhibition ran alongside the November 21, 2025 lighting at City Hall Square. Together with the carnival games at the base of the 231-foot tree, they gave families something to eat and look at besides the lights.
How do I explain the giant Christmas tree to young kids?
Tell them the city builds a taller tree each year and decorates it with a theme. In 2025 it was a carnival with 189 hot air balloons, and in 2023 it was under the sea with 350 sea creatures. Let them guess next year's theme.
Sources
- Giant tree at City Hall Square, 2025, Sunstar Davao
- PH's tallest Christmas tree lights up in Tagum, Edge Davao
- Tagum City Holiday Tree lighting 2023, Tagum City Government
- Tagum, Wikipedia
- Season of service: How Davao's provincial governments shared the Spirit of Christmas, Sunstar Davao