Streetlight display harkens back to the iconic stained glass designs of medieval churches.

Makati City welcomed the Christmas season on Thursday with a traditional streetlighting ceremony, a highly anticipated affair that transformed the premiere business district into a Christmas wonderland.

As the lights were turned on, the whole stretch of Ayala Avenue, Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue sparkled with colorful lights evoking the splendor of Christmas. Stained glass wrapped around palm trees and kinetic windmills dotted the street islands, turning them into Christmas landmarks.

The themes on the stained glass installations evoke the Nativity scenes: the Holy Family, the Three Kings, angels, Christmas parol and gifts.

These beautiful installations showcase Ayala Land’s commitment to bring the magic of Christmas to its community.

This 2016, the city drew inspiration from the stained glass designs of medieval churches.

“Christmas is indeed the most special time for Filipinos who traditionally come to Makati to take part in yuletide festivities,” said Shiella Aguilar, project development manager of Makati. “Each year, we aim to bring good cheer to those who work and live in Makati, and create priceless memories that will linger in the minds of people.”

Makati will also launch the much-anticipated Festival of Lights at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, an immersive and magical lights and sounds show. This distinctly Makati tradition has been cited as one of Conde Nast Traveller’s Seven Most Spectacular Lights in the World.

Ayala Land, with its copresenter HSBC and partners MasterCard and Sun Life, presents the Festival of Lights every 30 minutes nightly, from 6 to 10 p.m., from Nov. 15 to Jan. 8, 2017.

Over at Circuit Makati, an amazing 56-feet-tall outdoor Christmas tree looms high, from Nov. 18 to Jan. 8, 2017. The city will host the biggest outdoor Christmas Bazaar with over 500 merchants of great holiday finds, celebrity booths, musical performances and outdoor games.

The Circuit Makati Bazaar will be at the Globe Circuit Events Grounds on Nov. 18-20, from 11 a.m. to 12 midnight.

Daily thanksgiving masses will be held from Dec. 15 to 23,

6 p.m., at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. The Makati Inter-High School Caroling Competition takes place on Dec. 19 at the Globe Circuit Events Grounds.