Do you want different ornaments on the Christmas tree this year? Do you have room for new decorations? Do you want a different style? Many people have boxes of Christmas decorations in the cellar or attic. But many baubles, pendants and fairy lights are no longer used because they are no longer to your liking or you want a different color to decorate the tree.

The Aachen city council is offering a sustainable and free solution with its Christmas decoration exchange campaign: On two Saturdays, on November 23 and December 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., interested parties can swap their discarded Christmas decorations with others in the Rotunda at the Elisenbrunnen, Friedrich-Weilhelm-Platz.

"We focus on reuse instead of disposal," says Indra Balsam, Operations Manager of the Aachen municipal utility. "Everything that can still be used means fewer raw materials, less packaging and less waste." Anyone can come by, browse and take something for free - regardless of whether they have handed in old decorations themselves or not.

We accept everything that has to do with Christmas, for example nativity figures, Christmas tree baubles, unused candles, nutcrackers, fairy lights or other illuminated decorations. The condition is that the items are undamaged and in working order.