Rwandans are joining their families across the country to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ-Christmas tomorrow, December 25.
Very important on this day, is erecting a Christmas tree decorated with mostly different types of candy, Christmas cards and coloured lights.
As early as October, Christmas enthusiasts start finding pine tree branches which they cut and bring home or at public places for decoration.
However, in Rwanda, it’s very difficult to find pine trees; the most common trees are gervaria-eucalyptus.
“I can’t get the original ones. I only use Plastic,” Austine Musoni told KT Press.
A source at the Natural resources ministry told KT Press that although there are some pine trees in the country, in 2006, government had banned cutting down trees especially pines and banana stems for decoration during festivities.
Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Director General in Rwanda Natural Resources Authority told KT Press there is no ban against cutting trees for using in decorations.
“Anyone is allowed to acquire a permit, plant trees for a particular purpose and can harvest them,” He said adding that “you can’t harvest what you didn’t plant”.
Nkurunziza explained that the government has mostly focused on planting particular trees which meet the fuel needs of the population.
“Opportunities are enormous in planting pine trees that can later be harvested for sell during Christmas season,” he said.
According to wikipedia, the Christmas tree custom started in early modern Germany with predecessors traced to the 16th and possibly 15th Century, in which devout Danish Christians brought decorated trees into their homes and danced around them.
The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine, or fir or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas.