Tangram, a mixed-use development in Flushing, hosted its 4th annual Christmas Tree Lighting in the building’s atrium on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
There was a special appearance by Santa, who assisted with the countdown and helped bring festive cheer to over 100 spectators as they watched the 40-foot tree, which took about five days to construct, light up at 6 p.m.
Cynthia Yeh, a spokesperson for F&T Group, the developer of Tangram, said the team wanted this year’s tree lighting to be even more festive than before, which is why she contacted the New York Mets and enlisted the help of mascots Mr. and Mrs. Met to kick off the tree lighting and take photos with guests. “We wanted to do things a little differently this year,” she said. “It was very fun and engaging for the community.”
The event was attended by several local officials, including Council Member Sandra Ung, Assemblymember Ron Kim, State Senator John Liu, Inspector Kevin Coleman from the 109th Precinct in Flushing and Deputy Chief Sylvester Ge from the NYPD Transportation Bureau.
After the tree lit up, Impact Culture NYC — a bilingual Asian American cultural institution and artist collective — hosted a variety of vocal and dance performances to help bring even more festive cheer to the event.
Hannah Liao, who performed solo, sang “Defying Gravity,” followed by “A Million Dreams” performed with Joanna Liang and Miles Tian. Other soloists included Wei Chu, Mei Ke and Deshawn.
A children’s choir sang holiday favorites, including “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and a group of children in holiday costumes performed a dance routine called “Christmas Runaway.”
Helen Lee, principal of F&T, said the developer has been building and investing in the neighborhood it calls home for over 30 years. She said the tree lighting, which the developer has been hosting since 2022, has become the unofficial start of the holiday season for many families in Flushing.
“We’re proud to see this event grow into a new neighborhood tradition — one that brings our community together in the kind of shared public space we always hoped our atrium would be. Moments like this are what make Flushing feel like home,” she said.
Ung thanked Tangram and F&T for hosting the beloved community tradition and urged neighbors not only to enjoy the decorations, but to support the shops, restaurants and small business owners that make the community a vibrant destination.
“This annual tradition reminds us of everything that makes this neighborhood so special — namely the energy, diversity and incredible people and partners who invest in Flushing and help it thrive,” she said.
Tangram, located at 133-33 39th Ave. in Flushing, will be hosting photos with Santa in the atrium on Dec. 6, 12 and 13 from 12-3 p.m. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 who attend the Dec. 12 Santa meet-and-greet will receive a toy as well, up to the first 150 children.
Tangram is also hosting its second annual holiday toy drive and is collecting new toys now through Dec. 17, which donors can drop off at Tangram Tower, located at 37-12 Prince St. in Flushing, or the offices of Ung, at 136-21 Latimer Pl. in Flushing, and Liu, at 38-50 Bell Blvd., Suite C, in Bayside.
