T’was a Very Durian Christmas for this Malaysian City

No Christmas tree, no problem.

With smart stacking skills and a set of fairy lights, you can get pretty creative with festive displays. From beer bottles, to books, to ladders, D.I.Y Christmas trees are everywhere. But this masterpiece made from dozens of durians, Southeast Asia’s king of fruits, is hands-down one of the most original ones to grace social media.

Constructed by a community in the Malaysian city of Kuching, this fine piece of workmanship is reportedly two meters tall with netizens calling it “the most Malaysian Christmas tree ever.”

It’s also probably the smelliest tree ever. Durian’s creamy, custard-like taste is a favorite of many but most people are put off by its pungent odor, which can resemble a combination of farts and sweaty socks. One whiff of that in Southeast Asia’s jungle-like humidity and it’s enough to make you feel light-headed.

The stench is so strong that Singapore’s government has banned the spiny fruit on its trains and buses. Meanwhile in Australia, a rotting durian once caused a mass evacuation at a university library.

Building this durian display must have been no easy feat. Piling uneven fruits on top of one another sounds about as mentally exhausting as assembling IKEA furniture. Just buying the thorny things from the market is laborious enough – not only are they heavy, they also leave your legs and arms scratched.

Still, it must have all been worth it to be able to eat your Christmas tree. Talk about a zero-waste holiday.