The children enjoyed a sumptuous Christmas carols and the spectacular Sokha Tree lighting opening, put up by the Sokha management to wish children and everyone a joyful Merry Christmas.

Photo by: Supplied

In this age of environmental awareness, the choice of using a real Christmas tree is an eco-friendly solution that provides unparralled atmosphere, a symbol of faith, hope, and  harmony. The natural beauty and sweet natural scent of pine from the tree also add to the atmosphere.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal selected a  Noble Fir for their Christmas tree and it imported it from Oregon, USA. It has a height 10-11 feet (a little over 3 meters). The Noble fir is considered an excellent Christmas tree because of its beauty, stiff branches and ability to maintain its green beauty for many weeks after it is cut. There are about 1 million acres (about 404,700 hectares) in production for growing Christmas trees in the USA. Each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people. Christmas tree farms stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts. Often, Christmas trees are grown on soils that could not support other crops and It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of average retail height (6 feet), but the average growing time is 7 years. Taller trees like the one at Raffles Hotel may take an average of 15 years to grow.

Mr. Oliver Dudler, Cluster General Manager of Raffle Le Hotel Le Royal said “It is a truly magical time of the year, a celebration of family and friends, but it is also a season of community, charity and giving. This year, Raffles Hotel Le Royal is supporting Sunrise Cambodia, a sustainable community development with a focus on improving the lives of Cambodia’s most vulnerable children and the communities which they live in. The organisation’s founder, Geraldine Cox, created Sunrise Cambodia back in the early 1990’s as a means of helping a group of war-displaced orphans living near the Cambodia-Thailand border. We invite you to support this worthy cause by purchasing a Christmas Tree ornament here tonight and hang it in the tree. The proceeds go directly to Sunrise Cambodia, and the ornament, with your name, lives on in the Christmas Tree at the lobby, ensuring that you are part of our story”.

He added “As part of the Raffles tradition, we’ve invited the children’s choir of the Cambodia Adventist School, here to serenade us with joyous song. At such young ages – from grades 5 through 12 – the children of the choir are already devoted to being of service to others. The proceeds that they raise as a choir benefit the organization “Meet Me in Heaven”, helping others in need. So let’s enjoy this evening of song, laughter and light, and never forget that it is this light that we should share with those around us. And of the children, may we learn from them, just as much as we protect them”.

 Photo by: Sakura