Tree Dressing Week brings colourful celebrations

Tree Dressing Week brings colourful celebrations

Tree dressing, in the first week of December, is based on many old customs from all over the world and at different times of the year.

From the 28th Nov – 6th Dec 2020, this festival will celebrate hundreds of ancient customs from all over the world.

There are lots of fun ways you can take part, try dressing trees with ribbons, shapes, lanterns or any other type of decoration that will make them stand out, so remember to use bright colours!

Tree Dressing Week was first initiated by Common Ground in 1990 and is a chance for the whole community to gather and celebrate the leafy friends we all have in common.

It’s also a chance for communities to reflect on the social and cultural history of their local area, and the role trees have played in shaping this story.

Trees have long been celebrated for their spiritual significance.

The simplicity of tying strips of cloth or yarn to a tree is universal and timeless.

The old Celtic custom of tying cloth dipped in water from a holy well to a ‘clootie tree’ echoes the practice in Japan of decorating trees with strips of white paper, or tanzaku, bearing wishes and poems.

The twenty-first century trend of ‘yarn bombing’ in Europe, transforms the local landscape with bright fabrics and yarns, similar to the Buddhist tradition of tying ribbons around the trunk of the Bodhi tree in homage to Buddha.

Tree dressing day celebrates the importance of trees and encourages us to value and care for them.

The week is also great to combine with your existing Christmas related activities.

Photo credits: Common Ground.