Brussels’ Christmas Tree arrives in snow-sprinkled Grand Place

The towering 20-metre Nordmann fir that is the centrepiece of the Winter Wonders Christmas festivities was successfully installed in the Grand Place early on Thursday morning.

After being felled in the village of Rixensart on 20 November, the splendid spruce was transported under escort to the centre of Brussels.

Despite the early-season snowfall on Wednesday evening, the large-scale operation was deemed a success.

"From a technical point of view, it was much less complicated", said Pierre Demesmaeker, manager of the Inter-Arbo nursery that oversaw the installation of last year’s Brussels tree. "It still needs to be decorated, but that will no longer be our responsibility," he told RTBF.

Luxurious sheen to tree

Demesmaeker explained the benefits of this particular variety of conifer, which was a private donation. "The Nordmann has the advantage of having more flexible branches, which is ideal in this type of case. The needles last longer and with its dark and slightly shiny colour, it has a much more luxurious edge than a simple Christmas tree."

After enjoying a ‘second life’ in the Grand Place, where it will delight millions of visitors until 5 January, the majestic tree is to be given a third life recycled into furniture.

As ever, the search for a perfect tree for the medieval square was meticulous. Planted by the owners of the private home in the Walloon Brabant province the early 1990s, the Nordmann grew over the ensuing decades to the point where it became a little too invasive for the garden.  

By offering the tree to the City of Brussels, its owners are ensuring it has a splendid send-off, while also enjoying some relief after years of worrying that it could fall in high winds or storms.

Now the tree’s decorators will get to work: some 300 balls of various sizes need to be hung, along with LED light garlands and 200 elephants. The latter are being donated by a well-known chocolatier and will be auctioned to raise money for the Make-a-Wish charity.

Winter Wonders opens its garlanded doors to the public on 29 November at 12.00, with an official inauguration at 18.00. After the Christmas tree lights are switched on, the first video mapping show Echoes of Colours will be projected onto the City Hall. A performance will follow by 80 choristers from La Monnaie.

Photo: (main image) ©Belga/Timon Ramboer; ©City of Brussels