BRAZIL: Thousands pour in Rio de Janeiro to witness lighting of floating Christmas tree

A beautiful Saturday (December 2) in Rio de Janeiro brought thousands to watch the city's famous holiday tradition - the inauguration of the huge floating Christmas tree. The crowd cheered blissfully as the lights blazed and the fireworks emerged from the world's largest floating Christmas tree - a gigantic metal structure as tall as a 27-story tower block. For the past ten years, the gigantic tree has officially opened the city's holiday season. The Christmas tree, first erected in 1996, constitutes Rio de Janeiro's third biggest tourist event after the pre-lenten Carnival and New Year's Eve on Copacabana and other beaches. This year's highlight were the pictures of Brazil's famous sites inside the 27 Christmas balls that decorated the tree. A Rio resident, Robson dos Santos, said the tree has become the city's symbol during Christmas. "It has become Rio's symbol during Christmas," he said. Everyone found a way to capture a memory of the beautiful show to take home. Celia Rocha, who took her entire family to watch the lighting of the tree, said she felt a great sensation with all the people, the fireworks, and the lights. "The tree is really moving. It gives a very good sensation. All the people, everyone together, that emotion, the fireworks, the lights. I think this does a huge good," she said. The tree, decorated with 2.8 million lights, weighed even more than last year, adding to 500 tons. More than a million are expected to view the structure before the lights are turned off on January 6.

ITN Source | December 3, 2006

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