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Christmas tree to brighten up central square

Christmas tree to brighten up central square: DEC.15

Kyiv will put up its last natural Christmas tree on Dec. 15, but in retro style at its traditional spot on the south side of Independence Square.
It will be lit on Dec. 18.

A girl reacts as she examines a stuffed bear during the New Year’s and Orthodox Christmas festival in the center of Kyiv on Jan. 4. (AFP)

This year’s Christmas tree will consist of 1,600 to 2,400 pine-tree branches and will be decorated with Soviet ornaments dating to the 1950s, said Oleksandr Bryhynets, a Kyiv city council culture committee member.

The council member also said next year’s tree will be plastic: “This should stimulate ecological civility in Ukrainians,” said Bryhynets. “Many of our fellow citizens, having seen that the nation’s main tree is made of plastic will think about preserving our nature and will instead place fake trees in their homes.”

Meanwhile on the same day, Mironova Gallery and Helen Marlen group will showcase artist Roman Zhuk’s art installation consisting of illuminated sculpted stars across the street on the north side of the square in an art project titled “Stars of the Future.”