Why are Christmas trees still up in Kitchener and Waterloo?

We may be closer to Easter than Christmas, but some festive features are still standing tall. CTV’s Alexandra Holyk reports.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree — why are you still up in February?

It’s been nearly two months since Dec. 25, but the big coniferous trees in downtown Kitchener and Uptown Waterloo remain standing tall, Christmas lights and all.

While the twinkling lights add some sparkle to the night skyline, the trees seem out of place during the day, especially with sunny skies and above seasonal temperatures on Tuesday.

“I think it’s really beautiful,” said Olivia Laufer, who was out skating at Waterloo Public Square. “We have snow and also sun, and it just adds to a Christmas-y holiday feel, even though we’re past Valentine’s Day now.”

The blue spruce first went up in Waterloo nearly three months ago.

“I don’t think about it as a Christmas tree — it’s just a tree with lights on it,” said Scott Barnard. “Little strange, but I don’t know, it’s kind of nice, really.”

“I like that it’s still up,” another passerby said. “I think winter can feel long, and so to have a bit of extra lights and something that’s nostalgic, that feels right to me.”

Others thought the tree surpassed its timeline.

“Maybe Valentine’s Day might be a good cutoff to take it down,” said Paige Al-Rubaye. “We’re moving into Lent and Ramadan and the year’s really progressing ... it’s not offensive, but it’s still here. I don’t know what they do with it when it’s done.”

The tree has been dubbed the “New Year’s Intentions Tree,” encouraging people to press a button in hopes their manifestations for the year will come true. The city said it intends to keep the tree around for another month.

“Our approach each year is to remove the tree the same time the ice rink in the Waterloo Public Square is taken out — typically mid-March,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “This is because, as part of the removal process, the tree is lowered into the rink area and we have to clean up the debris that falls within it.”

Meanwhile, in Kitchener, contractors could be seen taking down strings of lights from the trees at City Hall and the Gaukel Block.

“It seems a little late to have it up,” said Roz Thompson. “Still kind of nice to see.”

“People are starting to shift into thinking about spring and the new year I guess, more so than Christmas and the holidays,” another person said.

According to Kitchener city staff, the trees typically stay up until after the Family Day weekend.

“The trees are coming down later this week,” a spokesperson said. “They will be mulched in the same way as other trees that we remove.”

Until then, residents say they’ll keep soaking in the sights of the winter season even if it feels more like spring.

“I think this tree could stay up indefinitely,” said Laufer. “I enjoy it.”