We attended the Saturday matinee of the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree and cannot begin to express how happy we were with the entire production. My wife and I attend 15 to 20 concerts and events annually at the Jubilee Auditorium and this was simply the most lavish event of the year. The volunteers were uniformly enthusiastic, the orchestra was flawless and the songs and song arrangements were of the highest caliber. My only criticism, and it is not related to the quality of the event, is that I did not see the need for the celebrity presence of Ruben Studdard. I have to assume that he was compensated for his presence, and I felt that he was simply the least engaged and enthusiastic person involved in the event. The event did not need star power to be great, and he took stage time away from some of the amazing local talent that this event showcases.