Schleswig-Holstein's Christmas trees: urban crises and creative solutions!

Schleswig-Holstein's Christmas trees: urban crises and creative solutions!

The Christmas season is just around the corner, but in Schleswig-Holstein everything revolves around the municipalities' tight budgets. According to a recent survey by NDR The cities show different approaches to dealing with financial challenges. Some cities rely on beautiful Christmas trees, while others flatten this traditionally festive curve for cost reasons.

In Kiel, for example, those responsible originally decided not to put up Christmas trees. But the criticism didn't take long to arrive, so 30 trees are now being provided for 30,000 euros. An example of the positive change that citizen pressure can bring about.

Pressure to save and creative solutions

Schleswig, on the other hand, is following a different approach and is completely forgoing municipal Christmas trees this year, which significantly reduces last year's costs of 19,000 euros - divided into 7,000 euros for trees and 12,000 euros for lighting. Instead, the municipal utilities are putting up three large fir trees. City marketing also organized 100 smaller trees to still create a certain festive atmosphere.

Norderstedt has also pulled the ripcord: Instead of three Christmas trees, there will now only be a single tree on the town hall market, which reduces expenses to around 7,000 euros. While 35 trees are being erected in Eckernförde for the Christmas market436 - purely a necessity for the Christmas flair - these can be realized with a minimum cost per tree of 14.50 euros, so that the total expenditure comes to around 507.50 euros.

In Ahrensburg, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Elmshorn, Glücksburg and Geesthacht, despite the strained budget situation, people remain optimistic and are maintaining the number of trees as in the previous year. Here, numerous clubs and committed citizens in cities like Lübeck and Pinneberg show that you can decorate creatively without spending a fortune.

Increase in tree prices

On the other hand, not only are the municipalities' coffers exhausted, the prices for Christmas trees are also rising slightly. According to the association, the costs are between 22 and 28 euros per linear meter, which means an increase of 1 to 2 euros. In Flensburg they are even planning to put up a smaller fir tree, which will result in savings of 30,000 euros.

The tree nurseries in the region work hard to be able to offer an extensive selection of Nordmann firs, which are mainly grown in the Pinneberg district. A good deal that could also prove its worth in the coming months. In the midst of all these challenges, the question remains: How will Christmas ultimately be experienced in the cities of Schleswig-Holstein?