(CNN) There's a man dressed as a Christmas tree roaming the streets of the Big Apple.

He's Mr. Christmas Tree, and he's fast become one of New York City's most beloved holiday characters.

Thomas Liberto, 46, has been making his holiday trip dressed as a Christmas tree for the past five years, visiting the city every year and reminding New Yorkers to smile every once in a while.

A native of Bel Air, Maryland, Liberto told CNN he "figured New York was missing something" so he decided to create a self-made Christmas tree ghillie suit and make the trek to the city.

Liberto wears an artificial tree and is decked out with strings of blinking lights

"The reactions are priceless, I love it. It's a lot of "holy ****, oh my God, WHOA, I LOVE THAT, and bouts of laughter can be heard everywhere I go," Liberto said.

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