PHILIPSBURG--Businesses both large and small are helping to wrap St. Maarten in the warmth of the Christmas season, funding festive lighting that now stretches across the island like a glittering ribbon of holiday spirit.
The final installations – part of more than 500 Christmas light pole decorations – were set in place by GEBE workers and dozens of volunteers on Wednesday evening, completing an ambitious private-sector effort to brighten the island for the holidays.
The initiative is led by the non-profit foundation Project US SXM, created in June 2025 after the success of its first lighting project the previous year. At its helm is Anella Brooks, who currently juggles the logistics of transporting light displays from China to Miami and onward to St. Maarten, ensuring that not only all main roads but also all districts shine.
Brooks said many of the project’s donors – including SOL, NAPA Auto Parts, Republic Bank, Nagico, NV GEBE and other major supporters – wanted their contributions to reach far beyond Philipsburg. “They want to see their donations touch people’s lives directly,” she said. “They want this project to inspire, uplift, and connect communities.”
That vision guided this year’s expanded effort. “We started small last year, even though we managed to cover a lot of the island,” Brooks said. “But this year we brought the lights all the way into Middle Region, Belvedere and Dutch Quarter. Last year, when residents of Cay Bay saw the GEBE trucks coming, they shouted, ‘Oh, you didn’t forget us!’ They were overjoyed – I even have videos of people jumping onto their cars in excitement.”
Lights were also installed in Ebenezer, around schools, in St. Peters, St. John’s Estate, and along L.B. Scott Road. The members of the Spanish-speaking community on Cannegieter Street cheered on volunteers as the lights reached them too.
Community reactions have been immediate and heartfelt. “Someone messaged me on Facebook last night,” Brooks said. “‘My mom is in the Christmas spirit now,’ they said. ‘She told me: I’m going to decorate.’”
For Brooks, this is the true reward. “To see everyone’s effort make a real difference. This project exists because of a wide circle of businesses – many of them small – who, despite the economic hardships they face, chose to give what they could. And among the contributors were several larger donors whose support allowed us to rent three bucket trucks, alongside the two provided by GEBE, to install the Christmas lights.”
She said that last year the team needed 3½ weeks to complete the work. “But this time, thanks to the GEBE workers and the many volunteers who came out night after night, we installed all 500 Christmas light decorations across the island in just one week.”
Print & Sign Express has sponsored three large banners featuring the logos of all the project’s sponsors. These banners will be mounted on 40-foot containers placed at strategic locations around the island. “So everyone knows who lit up St. Maarten this holiday season,” Brooks said. “And when you see these people in person, please thank them.”
But the work is far from finished. Even as the island glows with fresh strings of lights, Brooks is deep in the logistics – tracking oversized Christmas installations ordered from factories in China, shepherded through Miami, and now making their way toward Port St. Maarten.
“This year, in collaboration with the Government of St. Maarten through the Ministry of TEATT [Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunication – Ed.] we’re embracing the true meaning of Christmas with our theme, ‘Follow the Star – The Bethlehem Story,’” Brooks said. “We’re inviting the community to journey with us, roundabout by roundabout, as we recreate Bethlehem across the island – each location capturing a moment or symbol from the story of the birth of Christ.”
Nativity Scene
One of the roundabouts in town will feature four illuminated pillars, each crowned with a glowing star, which will rise to form the silhouette of the humble stable. Within it, the Holy Family – Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child – will be joined by the animals of that first sacred night, offering a tableau of humility and grace.
Angels we have
heard on high
On another location, the public will see five radiant angels, symbols of peace and divine joy. Their illuminated forms recall the celestial messengers who proclaimed hope to the world, bringing a sense of protection to all who pass.
Peace on Earth
The story further unfolds on Harbor Roundabout at the foot of the Causeway. A sweeping shooting star and luminous doves will symbolize peace, harmony, and goodwill. The installation offers a quiet reminder of the message at the heart of the season.
Jesus, light
of the world
This scene will showcase a striking ascended angel with outstretched arms, radiating hope and renewal. It stands as a reminder that, at its heart, Christmas is a celebration of light – enduring, uplifting, and meant for all.
Instagram-ready
Project US SXM, Brooks said, aims to celebrate the Christmas season through culturally and spiritually meaningful displays – scenes that do more than decorate, but speak to the island’s identity.
“Together, we are creating iconic, photo-worthy locations to create memories,” Brooks said, offering heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers and businesses whose commitment makes the project possible. “When locals invest in their own community, people stay on the island for the holidays. They shop here. They celebrate here. That helps our small businesses grow – and when they grow, the country grows.”
She hopes this year’s project will ignite something larger. “Curaçao has an enormous Christmas celebration that draws tourists from all over. With the right support, St. Maarten can build something just as magical – something uniquely ours.”
Her dream is, at its core, a simple one: to bring people together. “Christmas has a way of doing that,” she said. “When the island glows, people feel connected. Instead of waiting for others to lift us up, I want us to lift each other.”
Christmas show
Having lived for many years in New York, Brooks remembers the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree with nostalgia. “We wanted to take our son there to feel that magic. But, instead of flying to New York, I wanted to bring that sense of grandeur to St. Maarten – so families who can’t travel can still feel that same big, bright Christmas spirit right here at home.”
Now, she says, the island can look forward to something extraordinary. On December 1, St. Maarten will witness a Christmas spectacle unlike anything seen here before – perhaps even the first event of its scale in the Caribbean. And it will be free for everyone. “Just wait,” Brooks said with a smile. “It’s going to be beautiful.” More details about the Christmas show will be announced soon.
