30.250 Light Bulbs Make Up Children's Hospital Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree in front of the Hospital Nacional de Niños - children's hospital - will have 30.250 lights, according to the hospital's director, Dr. Carlos Sáenz Herrera. The hospital's press office said that the tree will be lit up on December 7 at 6:00pm.

Since October 25, a Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) work crew has been working on installing each light bulb that will light up the tree, which work is scheduled to be completed not later than November 30.

The director of the CNFL, Henry Chinchilla, said that the placing of the light bulbs on the children's hospital tree has become a tradition for the institution, explaining that the hospital pays for the bulbs and the cables, while the CNFL provides the labour.

Chinchilla added that the tree not only represents a tradition but also goes towards the beautifying of the downtown core during the holiday season.

The tradition of the lighting of the tree at the children's hospital is now in its 42nd year, starting back in 1964 following the inauguration of the medical centre on the idea proposed by Marta Montís de Martínez. In the first years, the children at the hospital would decorate the tree.

The CNFL, in addition to decorating the children's hospital tree, also install traditional holiday decorations around the Sabana park, Paseo Colon and Avenida Segunda.

Once complete, the holiday lighting remains lit until January 6.