Buying a Christmas Tree in Germany

This afternoon, we drove up towards the Feldberg Mountain in the Taunus to buy our Christmas tree.

Driving towards the Feldberg/Tausnus

There are various types to choose from, but we always get a Nordmann Tanne (Nordmann fir).

My better half does need some time to choose the perfect one. That is where we differ, but we have survived 32 years of that. The helper was quite patient with us, and held up various trees to compare. I did leave him with a tip though for all his patience and good humor. Told him it was not Trinkgeld (lit: drinking money = tip), but in regards to the current climate, it was meant as Heizungsgeld (lit: heating money).

This is our tree going into the funnel, this means getting wrapped for transportation.

Last trimmings to insure a safe transportation in our car. This Nordmann fir was €65, and this was the same price as last year. This is one of the few items which hasn’t gone up in price.

I would prefer a small potted tree which could be reused every year. A big cut tree like ours has to get tossed every year after 6 January when the tree pickup truck comes by.

Traditionally, most Germans put up their tree in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and keep it until Three Kings Day, 6 Jan. Then we move it to the designated pick-up spot on the sidewalk. We toss ours from the 4th storey balcony, and in our case, the Hausmeister drags it to the designated spot then.

Christmas Tree Pick-up for Recycling in Germany

The time has come for our Nordmanntanne (Caucasian fir) to get picked up by the tree collection truck on Monday, 16 January.

We apartment dwellers will just dump it over the balcony. The Hausmeister will go around, and pull them over to the sidewalk.

Our fir has been resting on the balcony ever since we took off its decorations. This is usually done by Epiphany, 6 January.

In Germany,  about 22 million households have a Christmas tree, with a third of them getting decorated the day before Christmas Eve.

When I was a child, the tree got decorated about an hour before the gift-giving on Christmas Eve. The tree had to be a secret, so my folks had to wait till the last moment. It was Christkind who brought the presents and decorated the tree as well.

Some other fun facts:

  • 135.000 children send a wish list to the Christmas post-office in 51777 Engelskirchen (near Cologne).
  • The tradition of eating goose on Christmas Day probably comes from England.
  • 30% of all Germans hope for a white Christmas.
  • 91% of all Germans exchange gifts on Christmas eve.
  • Parents spend on average euro 78 for presents per child.

Christmas Tree pick-up in Germany

Today was the big day for the pick-up. We were told to have the tree out there by the roadside as of 6 a.m. and once the truck passed through, there would be no further chance to dispose of it.

The pick-up is always scheduled in the week after Epiphany, when Germans traditionally take down any Christmas decorations. Epiphany signals the end of the Christmas season.

Christmas tree pick-up in Germany

I don’t know why this woman assisted, unless she brought her little tree by at the very last minute and offered to dump it herself. I am surprised this isn’t against the regulations.

Off the trees go to their next destination, where they will be turned into wood chips.

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