Sadness over ‘poor’ Rome Christmas tree takes root
ROME — Christmas trees are lighting up city centers around the world this week, bringing festive joy to millions — except in Rome, where locals are mourning a mangy tree that will not stop shedding needles.
Ten days after it was installed in the central Piazza Venezia, the city’s 65foot spruce is looking anything but festive, with nearly bare branches giving it a skeletal look and earning it the nickname “Spelacchio” (or Threadbare).
Now, with the tree clearly dying fast, Romans have turned sleuth to discover who killed Spelacchio, with many pointing their finger at Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi, who was elected last year with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement.
Raggi is already under fire for failing to improve streets filled with uncollected trash and riddled with potholes.
“My thoughts are with Spelacchio, the poor Christmas tree that has died of sadness and lack of care under Five Star rule,” posted Giorgia Meloni, head of the hard right Brothers of Italy party.
A city hall spokesman suggested it was not the city’s fault.
“All felled trees without their roots have a brief life, but I would admit this one is not well,” he said. “It was probably the transport, or maybe it was already sick, or born like this.”
Photos appear to show that the tree was in bad health before it was felled in Fiemme in the Alps in northern Italy.
Romans have reacted with ridicule on social media, with a Facebook page announcing a funeral for Spelacchio at Piazza Venezia drawing thousands of likes, while many have taken pity on the tree. Spelacchio now even has a Twitter account with thousands of followers.
And some in Rome have even taken to bringing flowers to the “dying” tree.