Spreading the festive cheer

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…’ — just like the song goes, many
hotels, big chains and other places in the City have kick-started the season by putting up decorations and festivity symbols. Most of these events attract a lot of the Bangaloreans.

The tree-lighting ceremony at the Leela Palace, for instance, drew quite a crowd.
The huge tree on display — which is touted to be the tallest in the City — is 40 feet high and has more than 2500 lights on it.

With red bows, red and golden Christmas balls, and other decorations, the tree stands in the middle of the gallery, inviting many to take photos alongside.

At the event, children from the Christel House India gathered to spread the message of the season with some cheerful carols.

Avijit Ghosh, corporate pastry chef of the hotel, talks about the walk-in gingerbread house that is on display at the hotel. He says, “We’ve been doing the house for the kids for three years now. This life-size, fun place is filled with goodies, chocolates and sweets of the season; the house in itself takes more than a month to come into concept.” 

Sabina Vazirally, a homemaker present at the lighting ceremony, comments, “The tree looks magnificent, and very ‘Christmassy’. It’s surely kicked in the seasonal spirit for us. And the gingerbread house is absolutely cute.”

“We’ve seen many clubs doing lighting ceremonies and other such events, but this is one unique in itself. We have four generations of our household here usually to witness the event,” adds Amber Ebrahim, an interior designer.

Matt Even, a consultant visiting the City, states, “We were very surprised to see something like this in India. To have this enormous tree set up in all its grandness has just warmed our hearts. It’s always fun to see anything related to Christmas, and this was totally unexpected.”

The hotel also has a white Christmas tree on display, on which the children from Christel House pinned their wishes, which can be granted by the people who visit the hotel, during this season.