Friends of Children’s Hospital will continue to make spirits bright at Children’s of Mississippi this holiday season as they officially lit the hospital’s Christmas tree on Tuesday, Dec. 6, as part of their annual BankPlus Presents Light-A-Light event. Special guests Erin and Ben Napier of HGTV’s “Hometown,” alongside their daughter Helen, lit the 25-foot-tall tree.

The BankPlus Presents Light-A-Light event was a night to remember complete with a performance of “The Nutcracker” by Ballet Mississippi, patient photos with Santa, and festive refreshments.

Established in 1992, Light-A-Light is Friends of Children’s Hospital’s oldest fundraiser, raising funds through the sale of “lights” on the hospital tree. The event’s goal is to spread holiday cheer to patients, their family members and the hospital’s tireless healthcare heroes, while raising critical funds for Mississippi’s only hospital dedicated to caring exclusively for children.

“We are deeply grateful for BankPlus, who is a long-time sponsor of Light-A-Light,” said Caitlin Foreman, Executive Director of Friends of Children’s Hospital. “This holiday event enables Friends to help fund programs and facilities at Children’s of Mississippi that benefit children all year long.”

It’s not too late to purchase your own light on the hospital tree. Lights may be purchased online at friendsofch.org now through December 31. Individual lights purchased in honor or memory of a loved one are $10, or an eternal light, illuminated and acknowledged each year, may be purchased for $250. New this year, donors can also choose to honor a patient spending time at the hospital this holiday season, and by having their message of hope hand-delivered to a patient by a Child Life specialist. These lights are sure to make a lasting impression on both donors and the children hospitalized over Christmas.