A colourful spectacle of fireworks and lights marked the launching of Rio de Janeiro's traditional floating Christmas tree on Saturday December 12th. The massive metal structure, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest floating Christmas tree, is 53 metres tall and weighs 350 tonnes. Nearly 200,000 people took to the streets as the tree lit up for its 20th year in Rio's scenic lagoon, marking the start of the holiday season in Brazil. And despite the rain, the ceremony delighted the crowds, with this teacher saying that the experience was an unforgettable one that he would remember for the rest of his life. The Christmas tree uses 2.5 million micro light bulbs to create the three designs that were chosen for this season's tree. In the coming weeks, the floating tree will be moved around the lagoon so it can be seen from different parts of the city.