Christmas trees bring the season’s spirit to NATO Headquarters
Three Christmas trees are bringing holiday cheer to NATO Headquarters this year. In line with the COVID-19 response measures in force, most end-of-the-year celebrations at NATO have been cancelled, while others, such as the annual NATO Charity Bazaar, have been moved online. Still, the Christmas tree tradition has endured.
Two smaller re-useable artificial conifers grace the Conference Centre, where the North Atlantic Council meets, and the office of the NATO Secretary General. A large Christmas tree has been installed outside the Headquarters, near the NATO Star and the Allied flags. Weighing around 1 tonne and standing 12m tall, the Nordmann Fir Christmas tree is approximately 25 years old. Like in previous years, it came by road from a nursery in the Belgian Ardennes and is provided by La Ferme nos Pilifs, a social project that promotes sustainable agriculture and employs people with disabilities. Their staff delivered and installed the NATO Christmas tree, and will take it away in early January.
The NATO Christmas trees were installed at the end of November. It took one full day to decorate them, using the same decorations as in previous years, in blue and silver. As it has done for several years now, a red bauble mysteriously appeared on the tree in the Conference Centre – attributed to Christmas magic rather than security risk.
After the holidays, the main NATO Christmas tree will be recycled, and the wood chips will be used as fertiliser and weed repellent.