Ukulele musician and Kaimuki native Jake Shimabukuro has stepped up to light the Christmas tree at the top of Kaimuki in time for Christmas.

The lights on the tree were dark this year because no one volunteered to pay for and string a new set of bulbs  for the 40-foot tree at Pu’u O Kaimuki Mini Park.

Last year, Hawaiian Electric Co.  employees volunteered to string a new set of bulbs on the tree in back of the Kaimuki Fire Station.

Shimabukuro and friend Jeff Lau, a city employee, worked together with local electricians to repair the tree and replace broken bulbs and obtained a permit to continue the Kaimuki Christmas tradition.  The tree was lit Monday night in a ceremony.

The celebration kicked off with free milk and cookies at 5 p.m., a mini Christmas concert by Shimabukuro at 5:30 p.m., and the tree was lit as the sun set at about 5:57 p.m.

The tree was erected in 1985 and is visible to motorists driving on the H-1 freeway. It is usually lit before the annual Kaimuki Christmas parade in early December.