That's Directly Under the Tree!
As I was saying earlier, we were directly under the Tree at the Silver Bells in the City Program on Friday night. After the Electric Light Parade, the crowd sings a couple rounds of Rudolph. Then the Governor says a few words (it was her first year and I think she was quite impressed, but we're in the midst of a bunch of budget cuts and her reception was slightly lukewarm) and then the Mayor says a few words (the older gentleman won this year, we're glad, but his remarks were a little too long) and then all the dignitaries put their hands on the button. We count down from 10, and what you see is what happened at the end of the countdown.

There was a little trouble with the tree this year. It was found up in the Upper Peninsula, which put it some 400 plus miles away from Lansing. It came across the Mackinac Bridge in Gale Force winds. Branches were broken and tattered, but a local company wired fake branches in and extra lights were added. Like all Christmas trees, once it was lit it was beautiful.

Edit: Shoot, I forgot to put the funky edge around the pic to match the fireworks/dome shot. Out of time now, will do it this evening.