The orange, blue, yellow, and green road cones have been installed between baubles and foliage which spiral up to form the shape of the tree.
There is a big red decoration at the top that looks like a clown’s nose.
A wee project for Wellington City Council and a funky addition to this years festivities...... road cone Christmas...
Posted by The Christmas Decorators on Sunday, November 12, 2023
Wellington City Council posted on its Facebook page it wanted to create a tree with a difference this year and one that reflected a city undergoing major transformation.
“From fixing the pipes to earthquake restrengthening - infrastructure is a major focus for Wellington right now.
“We know that construction can be disruptive, especially for businesses. We are working closely with Let’s Get Wellington Moving, Wellington Water, and our contractors to minimise disruption and keep customers coming through the door.”
The council said while Wellington was a city of road cones for now, it was a sign of great things to come.
I mean, how are you meant to explain this “cone-mas tree” to a child? I guess they’ve got to learn about Three Waters at some point.
It is quintessentially Wellington that we can’t just have a nice Christmas tree without it reflecting an inner meaning that has nothing to do with the silly season.
To be fair to the council, there are other more normal-looking trees around the city but they don’t compensate for the offence that is the cone tree.
A Capital Letter contacted The Christmas Decorators for comment on the design process and the company’s response to criticism of the tree.
Founder Lizz Santos replied they were flat-tack installing Christmas trees all over the country.
“As you can appreciate, Wellington City Council is our client and as such we can not comment.”
Road cones have infiltrated other parts of the capital’s festivities.
Elves won’t be adorned in their usual garb, instead sporting high-vis vests and road cone hats.
Councillor Rebecca Matthews posted a photo on social media of a road cone on the pavement in the city, presumably for actual traffic management purposes, and said: “Feeling festive”.
“This should not be out yet, it’s still November,” she added.
I laughed out loud when I read the post.
But last week a sense of guilt washed over me after I learned the cone tree had been cordoned off early one morning.
A truck with a small crane installed on the back of it was extended to the top of the tree so a person could assess its structure.
As I walked past it on my way to work, I thought some of the cones looked smooshed and was convinced the hatred of the tree had spurred on vandals.
A Capital Letter contacted the council to investigate this important Wellington issue.
“This morning we had work crews checking on all three trees after the high winds of the last couple of days and doing maintenance where necessary,” council spokeswoman Victoria Barton-Chapple said.
“No serious damage was identified or prompted this work, just making sure that things are safe in a public area.”
It turns out the cones had always been a bit smooshed to force them into the shape of the tree.
If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry after the year Wellington has had.
The new National-led government will scrap the city’s $7.4 billion transport project LGWM after years of indecision, the city council is proposing major cuts to projects in the community, and the Town Hall earthquake strengthening project could now cost a whopping $329 million.
Just last week I reported a new water pipe leak at the bottom of my street to the council. It’s just up from where a pothole languished for months bubbling wastewater up and onto the road.
So yes, the good residents of Wellington are all too aware of the city’s infrastructure woes. We don’t need a Christmas tree to remind us (or soften the blow) of the “transformation” happening around us.
Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.
