Bangalore does it again: Primrose Mar Thoma Church in Bengaluru decorates Christmas tree with old sarees; here’s why
The Primrose Mar Thoma Church in Bengaluru has made a 25-foot tree from donated old sarees. Volunteers used various recycled materials, showcasing how festive decorations can promote sustainability and creativity.
A church in Bengaluru grabs headlines every Christmas. Its unique approach stands out every year in Bangalore.
The Primrose Mar Thoma Church in Bengaluru is well known for its long 17-year tradition of creating huge Christmas trees. However, it is decorated using only recycled and eco-friendly materials.
For Christmas 2025, the church constructed a 25-foot tree crafted from old sarees donated by its members. The sarees were dyed in different shades of green and placed on a metal frame.
The sarees were attached to metal wire frames of varying sizes. The church aims to demonstrate that festive decorations can be crafted from eco-friendly materials that are already available in our homes.
Inside the church, wreaths were made using leftover cloth pieces collected from garment factories. Around 15 to 20 volunteers spent almost a month completing the decorations.
Since initiating this program in 2008, the church has recycled numerous waste items annually. Bamboo strips, CDs, aluminium foil, newspapers, carton boxes, plastic bottles and shredded paper were used in the past.
The church has also used wire sleeves, packaging straps, straw, coconut shells, cardboard boxes and vegetable sacks. It has also designed itself with tyres, video tapes, plastic bags, grasses and loom cards in the past years.
The Christmas project is often led by church member Daniel Thomas. It shows that almost any waste material can be turned into something meaningful and beautiful.
Bangalore church: Christmas history
This Christmas idea began in 2008 as a small experiment. It has now become a well-loved tradition. Over the years, various waste items have been utilised.
These include plastic bottles and tyres (2008), video tapes and plastic bags (2009), dry vegetables and grasses (2010), jacquard loom cards (2011), newspapers (2012), plastic covers (2013), soft drink bottles (2014) and cloth scraps (2015).
In later years, the church used coconut shells and straw (2017), shredded paper (2019), factory waste such as edge-banding tape (2020), aluminium foil and cartons (2021) and bamboo strips (2022).
Sometimes, local industries also donated waste materials. The church has invited the public to visit and learn how creativity and sustainability can come together during festivals.
