How many pesticides are in your Christmas tree? The Christmas tree paradox

7 min reading

Respect for life

December 17, 2024

The tradition of the Christmas tree can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Germanic countries. A Christmas tree was set up in the center of town. Citizens would then simply take a branch home for the holidays.

This tradition spread, initially for the wealthy, until it became a staple of the end-of-year festivities from the 19th century onwards.^e century in Germany and the xx^e century in France. Considered by the Catholic Church to be a tradition of the Protestant Lutheran movement, the first Christmas tree in the Vatican was not installed until 1982. This year, an open letter and a petition were sent to the Pope asking him not to install the planned Christmas tree, which is 200 years old. Why not?

The fir tree in nature

In our European forests, the fir tree white (Abies alba) is naturally present. However, compared with spruce, it grows more slowly and is sensitive to spring frost. Spruces, confused with true firs, became ubiquitous in monocultures because they were more profitable. However, spruces fear drought, and since 2017 we've seen massive dieback due to dry summers, record heat and fires. The Nordmann fir, originally from the Western Caucasus, now dominates the market, accounting for 70-80 % of Christmas tree sales.

Christmas tree cultivation

The problem with Christmas tree cropsfir or spruce, it is not the species in particular but the fact that they are planted in monoculure outside their natural range. Millions of trees are grown every year, but monocultures result in low genetic diversity. What's more, valuable farmland is diverted to the production of Christmas trees.

A Christmas tree is grown for 5 to 10 years, only to be discarded after a few days in the living room. From hormones are used to limit the growth of branches, as well as a cocktail of more than 10 pesticides. Monocultures result in low genetic diversity, greater vulnerability to disease, and therefore a greater need for pesticides. In addition, clear-cutting leaves the soil bare and leads to soil degradation, resulting in the addition of chemical fertilizers.

The installation of a Christmas tree, sold as a tribute to Nature, is in fact an act of greenwashing through mass consumption, poisoning the inside of our homes.

In Luxembourg, 120,000 fir trees are sold every year, and less than 20 % come from the country. Imported trees have a carbon footprint multiplied by 2 to 5, due to transport and cold storage. Denmark exports 10 million Christmas trees. Belgium exports 3 million and aims to increase its production by 25 %.

The idea of giving up a Christmas tree may seem radical, but there are ways of reconciling this tradition with respect for the environment. Firs play a key role in forests, and we don't want to eradicate them from our landscapes! In particular, they provide habitat and food for wildlife. The needles remain on the tree for up to 10 years, providing permanent shelter for birds. They are also a source of vitamin-rich food for herbivores. The trunk provides a nesting place for woodpeckers, while the cones feed squirrels and small mammals. Pollen and sap also feed a multitude of species! Numerous mushrooms live in symbiosis with fir trees, including ceps, chanterelles and morels. Buds and young shoots, harvested sparingly, can also be eaten by humans and have interesting properties. Some even use them to make beer, or a liqueur called sapinette. Silver fir resin was used for its antiseptic and expectorant properties, as well as in cosmetics. The pharmaceutical industry still uses it today, but petroleum derivatives have replaced it for cosmetics, cleaning products and so on.

Choose responsible tree production

In Switzerland, clear-cutting is forbidden in favor of spot-cutting, which brings light into the area without eroding the soil. These often involve gentler, less mechanized cultivation techniques. Some even opt for animal traction, which leaves the soil aerated and alive. Diversifying tree species improves disease resistance and reduces pesticide use. Tree diversity also benefits all species, offering a multitude of habitats and food sources.

In Luxembourg, there are a number of local production initiatives:

sapins.lu offer Nordmann fir trees grown without pesticides. For every tree purchased, another is planted.
The Wahl nursery (Eppeldorf) offers fir trees from their own production.
The Wagner-Kox nursery in Tuntange offers fir trees from their Belgian production.
The Meyers family farm (Assel) offers Nordmann fir trees from their own production, cut to order.
Potted fir trees are available for hire from the Bamschoul Becker nursery in Steinsel. Despite good intentions, this is not a perfect solution, involving a great deal of transport. Rented trees take several years to recover from the shock, if they are among the lucky 50 % survivors.
Onperfekt offers trees that don't fit into standardized beauty criteria

Finding alternatives to fir trees

Other alternatives exist:

Go for sobriety and decorate the house with one or a few branches.
Decorate an outdoor tree with edible decorations for the birds. Ideal for admiring biodiversity during the cold season.
Build a Christmas tree from recycled materials. The perfect activity for kids!

As you may have guessed, artificial trees, apart from those made from recycled materials, are not the answer. Their manufacture has a significant ecological impact, and they're not locally produced. You'd have to use them for 20 years to offset their carbon footprint, and currently they're changed every 3 years!

A call to rethink tradition

Should the Christmas tree, a universal symbol of joy and unity, become a source of destruction for our ecosystems? Probably not. It's not the tree itself that poses the problem, but intensive production and consumption practices. Another path is possible, and it's up to us! In a world in search of ecological balance, transforming our habits is perhaps the greatest gift we can offer the planet.