O Tannenbaum

[bigmacbear]

Looking at a picture verytiredmummy posted of an outsized Christmas tree in a public space in Berlin (convention center? airport?) reminded me of this little gem from here in Seattle: Airport Christmas Trees Gone After Rabbi's Request. Note that it's made the national news. Maybe here it should be "Oy, Tannenbaum" instead.

Update: The airport officials and the rabbi have worked out their differences, so the trees are coming back.

Comments

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Oh good, that's good to know. that Rabbi needed to have some sense beaten into him as to how his religious views overshadow others? I mean, the Christmas Tree is almost a universal icon, true, primarily Christian in orgin but still many faiths/cultures use it this time of the year.

Share the sense beatings

[gmjambear]

Personally, I would also add a few more groups who also need some common sense beatings. Namely, the lawsuit-minded, ambulance chasing lawyers for threatening the lawsuit and to the Port of Seattle for removing the trees immediately after the lawsuit was filed. Obviously, the Port of Seattle's very swift action fro one complaint made for an embarassing public relations snafu to the point that you see the story all over the web and on various news outlets. (Certainly, Faux News Channel had a field day with that story!)

Then again, when does media, corporations, lawyers and people who have complaints ever make any sense?

[verytiredmummy.livejournal.com]

The tree is in the entrance hall to Berlin's new Central Station (HauptBahnhof). The station (formerly the LehrteBahnhof) was at great cost, redeveloped as a new hub for DeutscheBahn - who were recently the subject of a law suit by the architect. He successfully sued, saying that Europe's largest train station was not completed to his design because the glass archways were not extended far enough to cover the entire length of an ICE (High speed Inter-city Express) train, as per his spec.

After a national breath of What The F***! by Germany's hard pressed tax payers, DeutscheBahn will now have to spend several more million Euros demolishing and rebuilding the said track covers.

The tree was lavishly covered in Swarovski crystal - hence the 8ft perspex perimeter fence around it - just to make sure nobody acquired any new earings for Christmas!

I don't know about the US but - in the UK the Xmas tree only became popular after Vicki married Al in the 1800s. Although incorporated into Christian culture, it has like so many things (including Yule logs, the Maypole, the Easter Bunny, Mystletoe (sp?) and those funny Swedish girls with candles in their hair) come from pre-christian pagan culture. Its about new life and welcoming back the light after the height of darkness at the Winter solstice. Its a symbol we can all use and IMHO the good rabbi should bloody well get over himself!