This week, as is tradition, the big Christmas tree was placed on Brussels' Grand Place. The tree was cut down in a garden in Lier (Belgium) on 15 November and was transported to Brussels early in the morning. There, it was straightened with the help of a crane.

Brussels' Grand Place is traditionally decorated with a huge Christmas tree during the end-of-year period. This year, the tree is a magnificent 22-metre-high Nordmann. For the past 50 years, the tree has stood in the garden of the home of Mary and the late Joseph in Lier.

Pierre Demesmaeker of Inter-Arbo supervised the whole process. This is a special job, as the tree weighs just under eight tonnes. Transport to Brussels went off without a hitch, even though a few cars had to be towed away from the long truck. Getting the tree exactly straight is precision work, but it worked perfectly. The tree was then securely fastened with wedges.