How the Seefeld Christmas Market Got Its Christmas Tree: A Pre-Christmas Tale

We were on a mission: For months, the forests of the region were scoured, each fir and spruce closely examined and assessed. Until he was finally found. The one, the right one. The perfect Christmas tree for the Seefeld Christmas market. The requirements are high, as he has an honorable task to fulfill: Adorned with its colorful lights and ornaments, it brings the Christmas market and the faces of its visitors to shine. This year, I was allowed to be part of the preparations and the raising of the most beautiful tree.

A Christmas tree of the finest quality

The men of the Seefeld community and forester Rudi Saurwein took me this year to the traditional raising of the Christmas tree and brought me back to my childhood. Only this time, the search turned out to be a bit larger than in my childhood – 15 meters tall, to be exact. Basically, it was oversized Christmas tree hunting. By the way, the perfect tree is a spruce and a true Seefelder. It was found not far from the Christmas market, in the district of Kirchwald in Seefeld. "I counted 43 growth rings," Rudi tells me later. "If I didn’t miscount…" he adds with a wink.

How the Seefeld Christmas Market Got Its Christmas Tree

To bring the spruce tree – which is a real specimen – to the village square in Seefeld, the heavy truck with powerful horsepower first had to make its way up the narrow road. With the help of its crane, which can lift an impressive 2 tons to 17 meters, Rudi (who of course weighs significantly less) is initially lifted into the airy heights. He attaches several ropes to the spruce so that it can be lifted later. Otherwise, the branches would break during tilting, which would cause great damage to the spruce. After just a few minutes, Rudi is finished, and the buzz of the chainsaw can be heard. The sight of the giant spruce suddenly rising into the air with the help of the crane and hovering several meters above the ground is impressive.

A man in a yellow and black safety outfit with a helmet in a snowy outdoor setting.

A tall evergreen tree with green foliage against a cloudy sky.

A worker unloads a large Christmas tree from a truck in a snowy environment.

Carefully, the men set it down on the crane and lay it horizontally. The branches are carefully tied up to ensure safe transport. Then follows a gentle journey into the pedestrian zone of Seefeld. The giant tree attracts a lot of attention from visitors to the pedestrian zone. Once arrived at the village square, the spruce is lifted once again into the air to finally be set up in its new home. After a few hours, Rudi Saurwein, Markus Schatz from the Seefeld construction yard, and their men have succeeded. Right in front of St. Oswald's Church, the beautiful spruce now stands tall, watching over the Christmas market. This sight has already given me butterflies in my stomach and a sense of anticipation: It's almost time! Not long until the Christmas market opens.

Workers unloading a large Christmas tree from a truck in front of a church.

Workers in safety gear clearing snow from a path under a tree.

A crane lifting a large tree next to a church in a snowy setting.

The spruce is decorated a few days after it is set up, by the way. Decorated with red balls and warmly glowing fairy lights, you will soon be able to admire it at the Seefeld Christmas market! The huts and another beautiful highlight of the Christmas market, the bell tower, will also follow just a few days after the setup of the Christmas tree, this time in beautiful sunshine.

A wooden church tower structure being lifted by a crane in a town square.

Winter market scene with wooden stalls and a church in the background under a cloudy sky.

A church with a spire and a decorated Christmas tree with red ornaments.

If you want to watch the setup of the Christmas market live, you can take a look at the webcam in Seefeld!

Romantic Christmas Market in Seefeld

On November 29, the Christmas market in the Seefeld pedestrian zone will open its doors. Many small, lovingly designed stalls await you with warming mulled wine and punch, delicious Kiachln and treats, as well as homemade products and gift ideas. This marks the beginning of the perhaps most beautiful time of the year, the Advent season. At the Christmas market, you can spend magical moments with your loved ones and count the days until Christmas. You can read here about what to expect this winter at the Seefeld Christmas market and throughout the region during the Advent season.