Tiny tots awed by a tall and sparkly marvel in Dubbo's main street can see Christmas is ever-so-close.
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They watched this week as the city's Christmas tree took pride of place for the festive season.
Siblings Lachlan and Molly O'Connor and other children were not alone in feeling excitement at the arrival of the Yuletide trimmings.
Adults showed enthusiasm as they passed by the Cyril Flood Rotunda and saw the scene transform into one resembling a greetings card.
"People have been saying, 'Wow, we're really getting into the swing of Christmas now'," Dubbo City Council's David Dwyer said.
The comments were a reward for Mr Dwyer and the crew from the parks and landcare division who started work on the tree about 6.30am.
Their task was to install 3000 LED lights and about 300 decorations.
Little by little the six-metre tall tree was made over to light up the corner of Macquarie and Church streets.
Mr Dwyer said the eighth year of the practice had gone smoothly.
"You start at the bottom and work up, and try to space the different colours out," he said.
"Not too many bows together."
The tree has twice been damaged by revellers who both later confessed and paid for the damage.
Safety cameras are trained on it, police have been asked to do extra patrols and Mr Dwyer would like to think the Christmas spirit would reign.
"People have said they hope it doesn't get vandalized, they have pride in it," he said.
The tree, adorned with a previously unused set of lights, will give a glow to the main street each night until January 3.
faye.wheeler@ruralpress.com