A Christmas tree made of bikes ... or is it condoms?

The Australian town of Lismore in New South Wales recently unveiled a rather unusual Christmas decoration. After receiving criticism for focusing its decorations on a crooked Cooks pine tree in 2014, this year it has installed a brightly-coloured recycled-bicycle Christmas tree.

The tree was made with parts from more than 90 old bikes which would otherwise have gone for scrap together with 50 litres of white paint, almost half a tonne of steel and around 30 dollars’ worth of coloured mis-tints from the local paint shop.

Christmas gifts for cyclists who like to ride slowly

Writing on its Facebook page, Lismore City Council said: “Your new recycled Christmas tree on the corner of Magellan and Keen St is made from bicycles from the Revolve Shop and was painted by staff in their own time. We hope you love it... What do you think? We think it reflects the spirit of Lismore... Recycled, quirky and colourful!”

The response has been broadly positive, although The Daily Telegraph reports that at least one person has pointed out that the tree looks rather like a bunch of multi-coloured condoms.

Lismore Radio reportedly observed that this was perhaps a message “to wrap up not only your Christmas presents this year.”

But while the recycled tree has become the main attraction, the town’s crooked tree remains. This year’s decorations include a two-metre tall fibreglass Santa to ‘hold up’ the tree.