Why buy a tree when you can make your own? Eco-activists and nature lovers who’ve switched to environmental-happy Christmas decor this year, tell us DIY trees require imagination and patience
The 23-ft-long tree at Bandra Band Stand is made using 10,000 plus plastic bottles. Pic/Ashish Raje
‘Residents came together to contribute bottles for our tree’
Conceptualised by Minali N Thakkar
Last week, residents of Bandra Band Stand joined hands with the Inner Wheel Club of Bombay Airport and Bandra Band Stand Residents Trust to create a 23-ft-high tree made of plastic bottles. Led by president Neelima Mashru, and designed by art curator and artist Minali N Thakkar, the installation has been made with over 10,000 bottles. “Our festivals, across communities, are big contributors of waste,” says Thakkar. “The best way to communicate this to people is by creating something larger than life. Plastics can be used wisely, and art is the best means to spread this awareness,” feels Thakkar, who has in the past made a waterfall installation—a bottle fall, as she calls it—with 40,000 bottles. A metal framework was created to hold these bottles on it. “The metal was welded at the Band Stand promenade itself,” she shares. “We used four different shades of lighting to illuminate the tree from inside... the colours keep changing.” While Mashru and team helped with the bottle collection, curious locals also extended their help. “A five-year-old has come and given us bottles; even ragpickers who were seeing us work, and for whom this is their bread and butter, handed us bottles. Everyone was taking ownership, and offering suggestions. It was delightful to see this.” Thakkar hopes that visitors take back lessons and implement it in their own housing society or neighbourhood. Mashru says that they will be sending the bottles to a recycling plant in Andheri post-Christmas. “The bottles will be segregated and sent to recyclers who make t-shirts, tiles, insulated tiffin bags and paver blocks out of these.”
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‘Use eggshells and paper to make ornaments’
Conceptualised by Anik Niknao
Snowman made from tyres and a bell (left) made using egg shells
For the last 12 years, Anik Niknao, who lives in RK Puram, Ooty, has been working with prison inmates to give scrap material, newspapers and old fabric a new lease of life, recycling them as bags, rugs, coasters and pouches. Her Christmas decorations are no different. “Everything can be recycled,” Anik believes. A few years ago, she made a Christmas tree and snowman with tyres. For this, she admits, you need a whole lot of space. Hers was made for the premises where she resides. “All you need to do is place tyres of different sizes one over another, and then paint on them.” Anik suggests using sleeker cycle tyres, to make Christmas wreaths, which you can decorate with real leaves, branches and fabric at home. She also makes gorgeous Christmas ornaments and bells, with egg shells, leftover strings, and paper. “You can’t use egg shells right away; you need to soak them in water, peel out the inner layer, and dry them in the sun. After which you can plan your DIY eggshell.” Making your Christmas tree requires discipline, time, patience and hard work, says Anik. “Sometimes, it doesn’t turn out the way you imagined, and you may need to redo everything. Don’t get disappointed. The good thing is that it doesn’t cost a lot.”
‘The frame of our tree is made with stands used in an art show’
Conceptualised by James Ferreira
James Ferreira with his tree at Khotachiwadi. Pic/Shadab Khan
Fashion designer James Ferreira, 66, has been “making, designing and executing” a Christmas tree from scratch since he was 16. At his bungalow, it’s now a tradition of sorts. “I never owned one of those [artificial/plastic] trees. It was my mum’s idea that I make a new one every Christmas,” he says. “She’d start irritating me by the 10th of December, and by the 20th, she would go ballistic,” he laughs, “I would usually get it done three to four days before Christmas.” This time around, Ferreira got his tree ready far ahead of time, for the Khotachiwadi Alive 4.0 festival. “I think she would have been really happy,” he smiles. Preferring to use materials from around, he has even made a tree out of acrylic, and placed a fan inside, so that those baubles would float. His tree, which has been placed at the entrance of the Khotachiwadi lane, near the cross, is made of recycled wood, mesh and crepe paper. “Visual artist Jehangir Jani had his sculptures on display. The stand of his exhibit now forms the frame of my tree,” he says, adding, “The wire meshing, was also from the inaugural edition of an art gallery here. It was on the wall of the lane’s entrance. We hung flowers and paintings on it, but it stood out like a sore thumb, so I got it removed and found use of it in my tree.” Ferreira got residents, friends and his own team to work on the creation. The only new additions, he says, are the green cellophane and crepe paper that were stuffed into the frame. “There’s so much joy doing things together as a community… we worked on it till about 1 am,” he says. He thinks this is in keeping with the spirit of the festival, which has long been tainted by commercialisation and excesses.
‘We nailed strips of wood left behind during a film shoot’
Conceptualised by Heta Pandit and Farhad and Minu Patel
Heta Pandit with nephews Farhad and (left) Minu Patel; (Right) The crochet ornament made by Heta’s sister Diana from leftover threads. Pics/Rane Ashish
Goa-based heritage activist Heta Pandit dons many hats. Apart from documenting oral history and traditional art, she is also vocal about preserving natural heritage. It’s what motivated her to switch to sustainable Christmas decor. “I have never quite liked the idea of using plastic trees. Last year, I started looking at options very seriously... I remember scrolling through Pinterest for ideas,” she says. Pandit, who lives in Saligao, says she had a lot of bamboo in her garden. “We cut those and made a tree out of it. My friend Ninoshka Alvares-Delaney, who is a fashion designer, makes tiny ornaments from leftover fabric that she works with. I got some from her, and hung them on my bamboo tree.” This year, Pandit will be celebrating Christmas in her family home, Green Gifts, in Bandra along with her nephews, Farhad and Minu Patel, and sister Diana. “This time, I did it in earnest, collecting ribbons and threads, and old packaging and cellophane paper,” she says. Their Bandra bungalow is often rented for film shoots. “The last crew left behind some strips of wood and nails. So, Minu made the skeleton of the tree with that. We didn’t even have to buy nails!” The trio covered the base of tree with an old rug, and then hung everyday objects refashioned to look like ornaments. Farhad shows us an old tissue paper with a dollar bill printed on it. “We rolled it and tied it with a black string.” They rolled strips of white foam, used in packaging, in a similar manner. For the Christmas star, they cut out the shape from a thick sponge, and attached it to the top of the tree. Her sister Diana who takes crochet orders, used the leftover thread to make cute bells, angels and snowflakes. The crochet ornaments were starched with corn flour and left overnight, so that they stiffened. These made for charming decorative pieces.
Heta doesn’t understand the fascination with using cotton wool on trees. “We don’t have snow in most parts of India... instead, use old sarees, and curtains, cut them into strips and hang them on the tree. Keep it real.”
‘You can dry leaves, branches and spray paint them in gold’
Conceptualised by Fr Warner D’Souza
Fr Warner D’Souza chopped off the low lying branches of a Christmas tree, dried them for three weeks, painted them in gold and placed these between the branches of his tree. PICS/ SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI
Most people preserve memories of their holidays by taking photographs and collecting souvenirs. Fr Warner D’Souza, parish priest of St Stephen’s Church, Cumballa Hill, has re-lived his recent trip to Udaipur through his Christmas tree. Fr D’Souza who had joined a friend staying at the Raffles Hotel, which is on an island in Udai Sagar Lake, says the “holiday was the highlight of this year… and oozed luxury”. “I thought why not reflect this when I return [to Mumbai].” To begin with, he says, plan your décor according to the colour of your walls, and the location. His Christmas tree, glittering in crystal and gold, stands in one corner of the room, against an off-white wall. Two golden bird figurines are perched close by. It’s interesting that what look like crystal ornaments and glass baubles on his tree, are actually faux Swarovski crystals and imitation jewellery that he picked up from Crawford Market.
“Most of the pieces cost me anywhere between Rs 20 and Rs 50,” he shares. In fact, earrings, he says, make for perfect X’mas tree decorations because they come in different shapes, with intricate patterns and embellishments. “Almost everyone has a large collection of them, and they’ll look lovely on your tree,” he thinks. A more sustainable option is sourcing items from your home (or backyard). “There’s a Christmas tree growing in our compound. I chopped off the low lying branches, dried them for three weeks to see if the fern would fall off. When it didn’t, I painted it in gold, and placed it in between the branches of this tree.” Fr D’Souza suggests getting hold of coloured fabric, cutting it into long strips, and tucking it into the tree, or garlanding it from top to bottom. “You can also use an old saree you have no use for. It’s a great way to remember someone in your family. One important trick to keep in mind when decorating your tree is layering it well. “Most people follow a symmetry… trees have depth, but many forget that. You can layer your tree right to the centre. Sometimes, you can place a large Christmas ornament alongside a tiny one as well, and it will still look good.”
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