Vorsicht Knut!!

Three weeks I bought a cup from Ikea with the logo above and I did not know the meaning of Knut. Vorsicht meant 'Causion' and I assumed that Knut meant something was falling; like the prices at Ikea's post-Christmas sale. Recently, a colleague from Sweden joined me for a 2-day training programme and saw my cup. He explained that Knut is a Swedish practice after Christmas. It involved taking your Christmas tree and throwing it out of your window. Now, why would anyone want to do that? (keep in mind that there is no such thing as fake trees like the ones we have in Spore). Actually, it does make alot of sense. After Christmas, your 'live' tree would start drying up and the leaves would certainly mess up your floor. Any attempt to pack the tree would result in branches breaking off. Thus, the best solution is to open the nearest window and toss the tree out. That way, less cleaning up to do. The fallen leaves and misteltoes would disintegrate into the ground and on the Monday after New Year, the cleaners would come by and pick up what's remaining of the tree.

That evening, my boss took me and Friedrich, my Swedish colleague, out for dinner and Apfelwein in Frankfurt. While walking to the restaurant, low and behold, we saw a Christmas tree lying on the sidewalk, its top stuck beneath a parked car. I found out then that this practice is also carried out in many parts of Europe. The moral of the story is: its safer walking on the main road than on the sidewalk after Christmas! Btw, Apfelwein is actually Apple wine; the drink of the people of my region, Hessen. If you ever come to Frankfurt, do try some.