GLENEAGLES may be closed until the end of January, but that hasn’t stopped staff from erecting the hotel’s traditional 47-foot Christmas tree.
It took head gardener Duncan Clephane and his team of eight gardeners and two tree decorators a full week to add more than 6,000 lights to the tree.
Clephane said: “Deciding on the perfect tree for the estate is a careful process – I like to go and see it for myself, usually around the end of September, to make sure the tree is standing on its own away from the others and getting enough sunlight.
“It has to have been well looked after and maintained – some of these trees are thirty to forty years old.
“It was felled on Saturday 21 November before being delivered to Gleneagles the following Monday, which is when our work really begins.
“We use a crane to install it and a cherry picker to decorate. Only one person will actually do the dressing and decorating as we want it to look consistent. My feet are firmly on the ground to help to identify any gaps.”
He added: “Last year, we had a staggering 6,000 lights on the tree but this year’s is slightly bigger so there could be even more.
“Thankfully, gone are the days where we used to have to check every single bulb was working before putting them up; now we have light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and they are all turned on with one switch.
“If the weather is kind to us, the whole process of installation to final touches takes around a week.
“After 21 years at Gleneagles, I think I know a good tree when I see one, but of course we like to have the approval of the team to make sure it is perfect.
“When you see it all lit up, you know the festivities have officially begun. We hope it will bring the spirit of Christmas in what continues to be a challenging time for all.”
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