🎄Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur

There was something instantly cheerful about the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur this year. Maybe it was the soft chatter growing in the lobby, maybe it was the glow from the decorations, or maybe it was because the moment Alesya and Maria stepped on as hosts, the whole place felt like the beginning of a holiday movie. They weren’t overly formal. They carried the night with a bright, friendly energy that made guests ease into the evening as if they’d been invited to a cosy house gathering instead of a hotel event.

     

Executive Chef

    Pastry Chef

The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2025 at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur, as part of Gatherings by Sheraton, turned out to be exactly what the season should feel like: heartwarming, cheerful, full of small surprises, and rich with the kind of magic only December can bring.

The choir began singing soon after, and the music floated through the space in a way that made even the busiest guests pause. The kind of pause where shoulders drop, smiles appear without effort, and people instinctively find themselves humming along. Familiar Christmas carols have that effect, and the Every Nation Church Choir delivered them in the warmest way.

A gentle shift happened when Mr. Paul, the General Manager, came forward for his welcome. Nothing overly grand, nothing rehearsed-sounding — just a heartfelt message about the season, the joy of gathering, and the meaning behind their participation in Gatherings by Sheraton. It set the tone for what the night was really about: people coming together, sharing a moment, and feeling something festive stir within them.

Then came the countdown. It started unevenly, with excited kids shouting from one corner and adults laughing as they tried to keep up. When the tree finally lit, the golden glow spread across the lobby like a quiet wave. Phones lifted, people cheered softly, and the whole room briefly seemed to breathe in the same rhythm.

But right after that, the focus shifted — not because the tree wasn’t stunning, but because something else in the lobby stole the spotlight. The gingerbread fireplace.

You could smell it before you saw it. Ginger, honey, warm spices. And there it was: a full, charming fireplace crafted entirely out of gingerbread by Executive Chef Fadzil Arshad and his pastry team led by Pastry Chef Rozaini. Guests leaned in curiously, half convinced it was just a decoration. The realisation that it was edible made everyone’s eyes widen in the best way. Children tugged their parents closer, couples bent down to inspect the details, and more than a few people laughed at themselves after instinctively sniffing the air.

                      

Just as everyone settled into the excitement of the fireplace, the sound of jingling bells appeared in the distance. Slowly, from behind the crowd, Santa Claus made an entrance — complete with a bright red suit and a warm, jolly laugh that echoed perfectly in the lobby. Beside him was Santa Rina, cheerful and sparkling, greeting children, waving, and spreading little bursts of festive playfulness wherever she walked. Guests lit up when they arrived. Children ran forward without hesitation. Even adults — the ones who usually pretend they’re too old for this — found themselves smiling wider than expected.

The presence of Santa Claus and Santa Rina made the evening feel softer, sweeter, a bit more magical. They floated through the crowd, taking photos, sharing joy, and giving the whole event that extra sprinkle of Christmas spirit that can’t be manufactured.

By the time the evening wound down, the lobby felt less like a hotel and more like a warm gathering spot where friends, families, and strangers shared the same festive glow. No rush, no stiffness, just gentle moments unfolding one after another.