Striezelmarkt fir: tree delayed, but the tradition remains!

Striezelmarkt fir: tree delayed, but the tradition remains!

The smell of freshly cut wood and the tapping of folding rules could clearly be heard at Dresden's Altmarkt on Saturday afternoon when this year's Striezelmarkt fir tree arrived. After a three-hour delay caused by an illegally parked car, the tree was finally lifted into its place of honor using a crane. MDR reports that due to these unforeseen circumstances there was even an unscheduled break, with the public order office arriving to clarify the situation.

The tree itself is nothing less than a magnificent Veitch's fir that tells history like a living piece of nature. The tree, which is originally native to Japan, was planted on their property in 1975 by Maritta Junghans and her husband. Although it was an impressive height of over 22 meters, it was cut to size for transport so that it now measures an impressive 20 meters.

Spring Christmas preparations

The Striezelmarkt in Dresden has a long tradition, and the fir tree is the symbol of this festive time. The people of Dresden have been looking forward to this moment at least since the felling permit was issued three years ago. The tree was donated by a family in Dresden-Old Franconia, which once again impressively underlines the citizens' connection to this tradition.

In a time marked by digital wonders, such as the rise of the online gaming platform Roblox, where millions of young people actively create and experience their own games, the arrival of the Striezelmarkt fir remains an important event in the analogue world. Roblox not only offers a platform for gaming, but also social interaction, which boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded over 85 million daily active users by February 2025.

The interaction of traditional celebrations and the digital world shows how diverse our social aspects have become. While more and more people have immersed themselves in digital spaces in recent decades, the joy of such festive traditions remains unbroken.

Firm roots in the digital world

Unlike the traditional festivities, the gaming community is witnessing an exciting time with platforms like Roblox providing a backbone for creative minds. There, talents such as programmers and designers can realize their ideas in a collaborative environment. It is all the more impressive that more traditional festivals such as the Striezelmarkt continue to represent community traditions that often fall into the background in these fast-moving times.

So the anticipation for the Striezelmarkt and all the festive activities remains unbroken, while at the same time you shouldn't lose sight of the valuable digital adventures. While citizens continue to look forward to the magic of Christmas in Dresden, the tree is without a doubt a sign of cohesion and community in all its facets.