Largest artificial Christmas tree

The largest artificial Christmas tree in the world was located in Sri Lanka. It had an impressive 72.1 meters (236 feet 6.58 inches) tall and 20.2 meters (55 feet 3.27 inches) wide. This incredible tree earned the title of the largest artificial Christmas tree in the world on December 24, 2016, during Christmas Eve. The record was achieved by Arjuna Ranatunga Social Services, and the tree is commonly known as the Sri Lankan Christmas Tree.

Sri Lankan Christmas Tree

This enormous tree was built at Galle Face Green, a large open space in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was made from a combination of iron, wood, and plastic netting. The tree is shaped like a cone and is decorated with nearly one million natural pine cones. These pine cones were painted in gold, green, red, and silver colors to give it a festive look. Additionally, the tree is adorned with 600,000 LED lights that add to its brightness and beauty.

At the top of the tree, there is a 6-meter-tall (20 feet) Christmas star, which weighs about 60 kg (130 lbs). This star is also covered with lights, making the tree even more dazzling at night. The total cost of building this grand tree was about 12 million Sri Lankan rupees (around US$80,000). A team of 150 workers from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Ports and Shipping, along with help from other groups, worked on this project.

Plan and Delay

Although the construction of the tree began in August 2016, it faced some challenges. The project was delayed due to criticism from the Sri Lankan Catholic Church, causing the work to stop in the first week of December. However, construction continued, and the tree’s height was reduced from the planned 330 feet to 237 feet due to the delays. A 6-meter-tall (20 feet) Santa Claus with a sled was also placed under the tree, adding to the festive atmosphere.

This record-breaking tree broke the previous record held by a tree built in Guangzhou, China, in 2015, which was 184 feet tall.

Disclaimer: This record may break from time to time, but it is recorded as per the details related to Sri Lanka’s Guinness World Records.