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They've been a holiday tradition in Rochester, Minnesota for many years. They're the festive Christmas lights and decorations located in and around the Mayo Clinic campus downtown.

The holiday season is full of traditions in Rochester, Minnesota

The holiday season is the time of year when we observe many different holiday traditions, from baking cookies to preparing traditional meals and drinks and getting together to celebrate with family and friends.

And let's not forget all those festive holiday decorations, either. And some of the most festive holiday displays are located in downtown Rochester, Minnesota, home to the world-famous Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic's Holiday Tree on the side of the Plummer Building is massive!

One of the more impressive holiday decorations that adorn the Mayo Clinic campus is the special Holiday Tree, located on the south side of the iconic Plummer Building. According to the Mayo Clinic News Network (MCNN) the tree is formed by 60 lighted windows facing Second Street Southwest and stands a whopping 128 feet high and 131 feet wide, complete with a star at the top.

The current version of the Holiday Tree made its debut in 2013, in celebration of Mayo's sesquicentennial celebration, MCNN said. And in 2020, the display was modernized with energy-efficient LED lights, currently placed in 60 interior window frames. Each window holds 600 lights (complete with a timer and lighting control) for a total of 36,000 lights spread across nine floors.

The Mayo Clinic Holiday Tree has a deep history in Rochester, first making its debut on the Plummer Building over 70 years ago, as MCNN notes:

The tree was a tradition from 1950 to 1956 and varied in colors over the years. Night watchmen (as security personnel were called at that time) manually turned lights on to create the tree pattern each night. In 1957, the tree was discontinued when many Plummer Building floors were remodeled.

The Plummer Building Holiday Tree Can Be Viewed Daily Through January 2nd, 2023

If you're here in Rochester, you can view the tree daily between 4:30 pm and 8 am through January 2nd, 2023. Other parts of the Mayo campus downtown are also festively decored for the holidays, as well. Check out the video below, and keep scrolling to check out the best Christmas light displays in southeast Minnesota too!

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See Some of the Best Christmas Light Displays Across SE Minnesota

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