Nearly 300 people stood outside in the cold at Vaughan Regional Medical Center Thursday night to participate in the big countdown.

“Four, three, two, one!,” they all shouted in unison.

And with a quick flick of the switch, a 25-foot Christmas tree lit up the night sky, followed by plenty of clapping and the familiar “ooohs” and “ahhhs.”

Hospital spokesperson Zaneta Lowe said this was the first time since Vaughan moved to its current location that the community tree lighting ceremony has taken place.

“The Ladies Auxiliary organized this event,” Lowe said. “People purchased ‘love lights’ for the tree in honor or memory of someone, and all the proceeds go toward the Auxiliary Scholarship for Dallas County students planning to enter the medical field.”

A sign near the tree displayed the many names of people the ‘love lights’ had been dedicated to.

Before the lighting ceremony, visitors to Vaughan enjoyed snacks and warm drinks to help ward off the chill.

The Selma High School Choir also attended the event to entertain the audience with a couple of Christmas carols.

Once the tree was lit, the jolly fat man himself came all the way from the North Pole so Selma children could have their picture taken with him and give him a few gift ideas before Christmas.

“The turn-out was really great,” said Stephen Mahan, Vaughan

Chief Executive Officer.

“Once the Auxiliary came up with this idea, we decided to do it because there is no tree lighting ceremony that we know of.”

Mahan added that the hospital staff worked hard to make the event a special night for the entire community.

He commended Vaughan’s engineering department, headed by Deans Barber, for their work in finding the tree and decorating it.

Lowe said local electrician Buddy Brown did the electrical work to make sure the lighting went off without a hitch.

Mahan said he plans to continue with the community tree lighting ceremony.

“Next year, we are going to have an even bigger tree,” he said.

Lowe said the Vaughan Christmas tree will be lit until Christmas Day.