Tree lighting ceremony kicks off holiday season in Seattle
Seattle - Thousands came out for the annual downtown holiday tree lighting celebration at Westlake Center in Seattle.
The event went off without a hitch on Friday night.
"We love the fireworks. I think that’s one of our favorite things," said Jimmy Stark, who brought his family to the tree lighting.
But, perhaps the person with the best view on Friday wasn't a person at all.
"It is just a blast, everybody is so happy out here," said Janet Rayor. "I’m an elf, I’m Janet Rayor. I’m only 5 foot one normally."
Standing at over 8 feet tall on stilts, not including her hat, Janet, who likes to go by just "Elf" or "Elfina", is offering a different perspective on the event to the young and young at heart.
"It gives me a lot of energy, and it’s fun to kind of play with the music and just kind of reading people, and getting people to play with me," said Janet.
"I waived at her," said Rowan, a youngster who stopped by to see Janet.
Rowan speculated that Janet had gotten so tall from… "Eating a lot of vegetables.
Rowan is pictured below with his brother Parker.
"Well, it’s pretty cool. I never see, that’s the first time I saw that," said Rafael Lucas, a man from Everett who also had his picture taken with Janet.
Janet the elf also towers above the rest when it comes to holiday cheer.
"There’s all these little people, but I don’t look down on any of them," she said.
"He’s really funny," said Parker, Rowan's brother, who got to visit with the elf.
"It’s such an antidote to what’s been going on," said Janet. "People are just happy and joyous and playing with me it’s just wonderful."
Like Janet, those at tonight's celebration also said they were leaving with a different view.
Marla Robinson, who brought her kids to the tree lighting, said she now had a different outlook on the city.
"At first, you thought it was going to be not a lot of people, because of the crime that you hear about. But, I’m glad it’s actually not. It makes me feel like its old Seattle again," said Robinson.
"It was really cool. I expected the lighting and stuff and the snow, it was very cool," said Violette Stark.
"We usually come every year, it’s one of our favorite events in Seattle," said Jimmy Stark.
Janet's spot at the top was hard-earned.
"I started out as a dancer, it took me over 3 months to get over the sheer terror of being up high," she said.
It's a perspective she feels we could use more in this holiday season.
"I think people need that joy, and it’s actually not the kids, it’s the adults that need this, laughter and amazement," said Janet.
"It’s so magical," said Isabelle Stark, pictured below with Violette.
The tree lighting ceremony wrapped up at around 6:00 pm on Friday. More holiday events are planned downtown, including an ice skating event December 13-15 in Occidental Square.
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