Next Tuesday, the large Christmas tree will be delivered in the early hours to Place Kléber in Strasbourg after a long procession from Meurthe-et-Moselle where it was taken. The branches bent and tied up on a truck to better protect it.
It’s hard to imagine at this stage that thousands of visitors will soon come to photograph this 30-meter-high tree. That at its foot the village of solidarity will host the mulled wine stands and the soup of sharing. That children and families from all over will be amazed by its new decorations. Even if one can have the impression in the end “that it is always a bit the same thing” explains Rémy, one of the many Internet users who replied to 20 minutes to the simple but crucial question: what decoration would you like or would you see again see for the Strasbourg Christmas tree?
“It just lacks a little fairy lights, which sparkle”
For many of them, there is no question of deviating from traditions. They say they are satisfied with the decorations, even if “there is just a little missing fairy lights, which twinkle a little more” regrets Lilly like other readers. A decoration that also makes you nostalgic. Like Pauline, Strasbourg resident for more than ten years: “It is always a magical moment to pass in front of the big illuminated tree during this Christmas period. I wouldn’t want to change it in any way, and I would be particularly sad if my daughter couldn’t feel that same magic in front of simpler, duller, colder decorations. “
Even more nostalgic, another Pauline, who would like a decoration with “soft toys because working with children”, she recalls the attachment of adults and children to “soft toys”. More precisely still, Nathalie would like “it to be decorated as in the 1800-1900 era. “The choice of colors is also of concern to Internet users. With a pronounced taste for the traditional red and gold balls, synonymous for many of the colors of Christmas. “Even if it means not seeing it too loaded because it is generally too far-fetched, explains Marine, but not too empty either. With decorations that are not far-fetched and balls a little smaller than usual and beautiful golden fairy lights. Finally, others, like Steph, would even dream of a rainbow-colored tree. So there you are. The list is sent to Santa Claus.
A permanent tree?
But if the choice of decorations could have triggered passions, this is nothing compared to the many more or less ecological concerns that our question aroused. As usual when we talk about the big tree, the defenders of a tree, planted, or at least furnished with an ecological decoration, resurfaces. If Chloé proposes the idea of ”decorations in recycled paper or cardboard, with a global theme on recycling and zero waste”, Hélène, like many other Internet users, would like to see a large tree permanently “alive, not a new one. sacrificed every year. “Proposals for” a synthetic tree “or else composed of stacked elements” designed by local artisans “, recyclable at will …
So many proposals that are impossible in the state of things, responds Guillaume Libsig, deputy mayor in charge of the coordination of Strasbourg Capital of Christmas. “For a normal tree, those found on the side of the road or on the sidewalks, you need 9 m3 of healthy soil. For a 30-meter tree, the root zone would be much larger. There are also problems of weight and stability of the tree which is currently well consolidated and secured in a concrete base. For it to be truly stable, continues the chosen one, the roots should be well distributed. Knowing in addition that there is an underground car park below, cable networks, we cannot therefore develop this root volume on Place Kléber. Other experiments, such as several trees forming a single tree, had been tried out on Place du Marché Gayot. There is the Christmas tree Off with its neon lights. There are indeed attempts to suggest something else and see what is happening, but for the central Christmas capital tree, you need a large-scale tree, a majesty, but also a search for respect for tradition. Not to mention above all safety issues such as wind resistance. We remain open to experimentation, but for the moment there is no rare pearl. “
In the meantime, the decoration for this Christmas 2021 should satisfy many of our internet users attached to traditions. The tree will feature raw wood shapes and contemporary silhouettes reminiscent of mussels in Bredele and the cathedral, as well as red and white baubles reminiscent of the apples used to decorate Christmas trees. To admire from November 26th.