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For the 37th year, The Living Christmas Tree presentation at First Baptist Church in Huntsville is back with live presentations from Thursday to Sunday.

"It's our church's Christmas gift to the region," First Baptist Church of Huntsville Minister of Music and Worship Billy Orton said.

The Living Christmas Tree presentations were virtual last year because of Covid-19.

Orton said it's great to be doing them live again.

Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é was inside the sanctuary Wednesday for some of the final rehearsals.

Orton said it takes a village to make this come to life.

"Our singers this year number about 120 to 125," Orton said. "That's down because of Covid this year, and just choirs everywhere are down, but I am so proud of the choir. They're doing a great job. They fill the tree, but we're down about 60 or 70 singers, which says something about those who're singing."

Between the singers, orchestra, any everyone else involved, that's more than 200 people who are making "The Living Christmas Tree" happen this year.

The band Act of Congress out of Birmingham are special guests.

"A Christmas tree is known for its visual beauty, so we've adorned our tree with ... like, 40,000 lights," Orton said. "Then we have also projection in the sanctuary that helps that, and the colors are amazing. The singers are standing amidst the greenery and the lights. So it's a spectacular sight as well as a spectacular sound."

And it's free, Orton said. Tickets had to be reserved online this year, and they were reserved pretty fast, Orton said. Sometimes tickets become available online again.

You can see if there are any available .

Orton said people who are interested can show up 15 minutes before a presentation to stand in line, and if there's available seating, they'll be able to get in.

Every year, the theme is different of The Living Christmas Tree.

"Our songs this year include songs of longing," Orton said. "We're all longing for normality. This is the Christmas message, but it's a sense of longing and then also a celebration for the birth of Christ."

If you can't make it to any of the presentations, Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é has you covered. We will air highlights on Christmas Eve at 10:35 p.m.

There will also be a 90-minute special broadcast of the Living Christmas Tree on Christmas Day. That's scheduled for 5:30 a.m.