Jerusalem to distribute 150 Christmas trees to Christian residents

The Jerusalem Municipality will distribute 150 Christmas trees to the city’s Christian residents on December 21, the city says in a statement.

The distribution of trees is an annual tradition, part of the city’s marking of the Christian holiday each year.

According to the statement, the municipality’s Christmas preparations include “hanging festive lighting and flags in areas of the city where the holiday is celebrated. These neighborhoods include: the Old City’s Christian Quarter, Beit Hanina, and main thoroughfares for pilgrims, such as the Mar-Elias road. The Municipality has also increased rounds by municipal cleaning and landscaping crews in Church areas. Additionally, the Municipal Licensing Department is working closely with the Christian residents of the Old City to accelerate approvals and provide assistance for holiday fairs and celebrations in the Christian Quarter. The Municipality is also working in close collaboration with the police to ensure that as visitors come to the city for pilgrimage and processionals, traffic and parking run smoothly.”

The Christmas trees will be handed out at the Jaffa Gate Plaza outside the Old City walls from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on December 21 “upon presentation of a valid ID card.”

“The Jerusalem Municipality wishes the city’s residents a joyous holiday season,” the statement adds.