The Biggest Tree in Town - for about 5 Weeks a Year

If you live in or have visited Omaha, you may have noticed Travel and Transport’s headquarters building located on 72nd and Mercy Road during the holidays. It looks like a big Christmas tree.

A snap of the building's holiday tree taken last winterAt some point in our building’s history, a great deal of thought and planning was put into how to create this “tree of holiday cheer” on all four sides of the 15 story building. Take it from me, it takes a complex strategy and a well-coordinated system that ensures certain lights are left on, certain lights are turned off, certain blinds are opened and other blinds are closed. In 2008, a complex system of gears, pulleys, and electronic motors was implemented so that Santa’s elves in the North Pole could easily manage the tree lighting process remotely via their iPhones (there is some speculation over the validity of that last statement but please don’t spoil our holiday spirit).

The process occurs on a nightly basis beginning in late November and continues through New Year’s Day.  If you were to sit and watch the building on any of these evenings, you would be absolutely amazed and astounded.  At 5:00 p.m., as the daylight fades away, you can begin to see the vague outline of a deformed tree-like shape start to appear. By 6:00 p.m., the tree becomes more clear – obscured only by a few late-workers with their lights still on and blinds open. By 8:00 p.m. you will marvel at the extraordinary office light magic that is on display before your eyes. Enjoy this magnificent show of fluorescent illuminocity while it lasts, because when morning arrives, the tree will slowly fade away just as it had appeared.  Then the next night, the elves pull out their iPhones and begin the process again.

We hope you have a great holiday season, and if you happen to be near our headquarters at night, enjoy the display!

(And thanks to the building management and staff that actually make the tree happen every holiday season).