Mumbai: It’s the season to be merry and a pine conifer at a Worli society is drawing crowds for all the right reasons. Standing 65 feet tall in a garden at Adarsh Nagar Society, and decorated with more than 10,000 lights; bells; images of reindeer and snowmen; and a waving Santa Claus; the conifer has earned the tag of “India’s tallest fully decorated Christmas tree”.
The tree was acquired for just Rs 250 over four decades ago by the Saldanha family, originally based out of Mangalore, from a neighbour who grew it on his verandah, informed Douglas Saldanha (56). The Saldanhas re-planted the tree, watering it and generally taking good care of it for the past 12 years.
According to Ms Saldanha, the pine conifer has broken records as India’s tallest, naturally-grown, fully-decorated Christmas tree. Every year during Christmas, the family welcomes a steady stream of visitors who drop in to behold the tree and click photographs and selfies on their mobile phones.
Meanwhile, midnight masses were held across the city on Christmas Eve with the most prominent one being at Mount Mary Church in suburban Bandra. For Mumbaikars, Christmas is all about sharing goodies such as plum cakes, toffees and ginger bread with their family and friends.
It is also the time to party and now that the state government has extended the deadline till 5am, Christmas revelers have much to look forward to.
