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The Los Angeles County Show Tree. Photos courtesy of Nic Adams.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n For Nic Adams, Christmas started early this year.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a big tree, I flew to China to procure it,\u201d he said, of a large, live Christmas tree commissioned by Los Angeles County. \u201cBig trees don\u2019t come from Home Depot\u2014they get plucked with helicopters from national forests.\u201d<\/p>\n Adams\u2019 company, the Long-Beach based St. Nick\u2019s<\/a>, specializes in holiday decor\u2014think lights, garlands, trees and more\u2014making a year-round occasion of it.<\/p>\n Adams started the company after dropping out of college 20 years ago and realizing just how lucrative decorating various residences could be. In fact, the company started out with simple light and tree \u201cDowntown Disney or LA County are definitely my favorite projects,\u201d said Adams, who has been working with the Walt Disney Company for about six years now. \u201cThe County one was a great project\u2014we came up with the design for the tree, an animated show tree that is pink and white, and had a great budget.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Adams was raised in Ojai and currently lives in Laguna Beach, he calls himself a \u201cshore kid\u201d at heart, and bases his business at First and Atlantic, in the East Village.<\/p>\n Year-round, Adams employs eight full-time employees, but bulks up on 25 additional flex-time employees during the Holiday Season\u2014understandably the busiest time of the year. Adams said the contracts worth \u201chundreds of thousands of dollars,\u201d like those for the county or Downtown Disney, usually go up for bid in January or February. The beginning part of the year is centered around planning for these, and then implementing the budgets and design elements.<\/p>\n Adams\u2019 work stretches near and far, hitting upscale homes on Naples Island and their boats and the fountain around the Promenade, to corporate offices, fast food companies, and public property. Legends Sports Bar in Belmont Shore and O\u2019Malley\u2019s in Seal Beach have been loyal customers for many years now. And, like all businesses, Adams said his company has seen its share of holiday decorating trends.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year, it\u2019s all about show trees,\u201d said Adams. \u201cAutomated trees, dancing, with lights. It\u2019s all about interaction\u2014the twinkle bulbs don\u2019t cut it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n The tree Adams designed for LA County is one such example. Composed of wire and lights, the two show trees Adams created glimmer pink and white, and look like they are made of stacked, spherical bulbs.<\/p>\n Adams estimated about 90 percent of the trees his company makes, finds and decorates are artificial, and the \u201clive\u201d trees involve much more work. \u201cYou actually have to find the tree and place lights on them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Downtown Disney tree, like many, was artificial\u2014mostly due to the strict fire regulations the park abides by.<\/p>\n Adams referenced the tree that caught fire outside of the Westin Hotel at South Coast Plaza.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes that happens to a live tree,\u201d said Adams.<\/p>\n Of all the residents, corporations and city employees Adams\u2019 business affects, he said he has been most moved by his company\u2019s work donating trees to children.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely the most touching,\u201d said Adams. \u201cWe give the trees to kids who are eight or 12 years old, and have never had a Christmas tree.\u201d<\/p>\n Adams said he still feels a twinge of excitement when people consider his work, like the 26-foot Christmas Tree in Downtown Disney, as people really soak up the festive occasions and scenery, with the magical holiday season spirit in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI went to a show there the other night, and there was about a 15-minute line of people\u2014dozens and dozens of people deep, waiting to take photos in front of the tree,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cHash tag StNicksLight! Yeah…it\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information on St. Nick’s, visit their Facebook page here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/MG_3326_LosAngeles_Smalll.JPG\")
arrangements, gradually evolving into the company it is today: a high-level holiday decor and lighting specialty company that decks out Downtown Disney, Second Street in Belmont Shore and numerous Los Angeles County buildings.<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/MG_3550_LosAngeles_Smalll.JPG\")
Such \u201cshow trees\u201d have been made more accessible to the widespread public these last two years with a drastic markdown in price. But don\u2019t worry, they\u2019re still not cheap: Adams said the going rate is around $150,000 or so. Comparatively low when considering the whopping $1 million price tags a few years ago.<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/MG_3607_LosAngeles_Smalll.JPG\")
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