At a time when the world is going gaga over ‘sustainability’ and environmental protection, a Xmas tree made out of discarded materials and recycled items that include used bottles, empty cans and the like is fast attracting the attention of the public.

Made to the height of 60.5 feet by the Al Falaj Hotel, an Aitken Spence Hotels of Sri Lanka, the artificial tree lit to the fullest is considered to be the “Tallest Sustainable Christmas Tree” in Oman as of now, according to the makers.

“Making of this tree took almost four months to complete and up, from sourcing the materials to erecting, decorating and lighting the tree,” said Praveen George, General Manager of the Hotel.

“Keeping in mind the Sustainable theme of Aitken Spence Hotels, the idea was conceived in the month of August 2022 and almost all the staff of the hotel have come in their spare time to contribute to the décor of the Christmas tree which is mainly used cans and bottles,” he added.

Apart from the structure overlooking the pool and the dine out area, yet another attraction of the mammoth tree is the lights on it which is the main highlight where the electro mechanical system has been used. It has almost eight different modes and the colour combinations cannot be matched with any modern lighting.

It was the engineering team of the hotel led by Noel Anthony which has been instrumental in all the mechanical and electrical work that makes this tree the first of its kind and an epitome of sustainability in Muscat.

While celebrations often turn out to be causing harm to the environment with reckless usage of things harmful to the surroundings, an attempt to celebrate Christmas in an eco-friendly way has already gained the attention of the public as this initiative is expected to instill a spark to save our environment and support the habitats around us.

@kabeeryousef