Dump it

That of course refers to the annual tradition of our Christmas trees here in Vienna which usually get thrown away on Epiphany Day (Jan.6) . Ice Queen and Slush Puppie have turned this custom into a Hash tradition by encouraging everyone to either bring their own trees or simply pick them up from a disposal site alongside the streets somewhere. Anyhow, here comes another report straight from the horse's mouth i.e. Slush Puppie. A little translative effort added by yours truly.

Quote:" In all due briefness (according to the runs shortness, which for its part marked the 6th edition of the Dump your Christmas tree in Vindobonian Hash History) it has to be noticed that Hares Ice Queen and Slush Puppie were not the only ones who disposed of their Christmas trees. Upon the Hares' arrival in front of the Votivkirche (and knowing from countless poor murder mysterys that each culprit comes back to the scene of his first crime) the church doors were wide open and inviting for a visit.

The Hares could see a young man who was visibly struggling to carry a Christmas tree of a minimum four metre height out of the Church. Everyone who happens to know this neo-gothic church not just from the commemorative Full Moon Tee-Shirt (50th run) will be able to acknowledge that a Christmas tree of four metres height is looking negligibly small inside. Yet, Mr. Disposer of the Christmas tree still had a lot of work ahead of him. When that Gentleman started to work on a Christmas tree of a minimum 8 metres of height to dispose of this one as well we offered our help, after all we were auxiliaries in a certain sense. This sadly was not the case as the Gentleman hadn't read the VH3 Schedule and was simply doing his job.

An invitation to join in the Dump Your Christmas Tree run was declined and in the end we left him alone again after a bit of support work with two more Christmas trees. Presumably he is still recovering from the stresses and strains and is just spending a three week rehab stay in Bad Schallerbach to treat his herniated disc.

Towards 3 p.m. and very unpunctually Hashers were arriving (IceMoon with her two kids being the most attractive Returnee in a long time). Hardly anyone was armed with a Christmas Tree, yet there was a vast assortment to be found right next to the church. To our surprise no one took one of those 8 metre giants. After everyone was supplied it was on off along the Reichsratsstraße (thereby passing by a genuine Kärntner Speckbar) towards the Rathaus, then on left in direction Rathausplatz where finishing touches were being put to the Wiener Eistraum in 2011 and people were made meandering aimlessly in a maze that looked like a building site. Living up to her name Ice Queen will soon be putting out an inviation for a Hash Ice Skating Evening in February, watch for the VH3 Mailing list!

The Ringstrasse was crossed in front of the Burgtheater and it was right on into the Volksgarten where colleagues of our former GrandMeister, who in his retirement now entertains a Hashblog are spending their lunchbreaks in the Summer.The detour to the Statue of Empress Sisi was inevitable and this was the right stage settung for yet another open air performance of the already classic Dramolett "Emperor Franz Joseph return from summer-resort in Bad Ischl (starring Slush Puppie in the title role and Ice Queen as Sisi).

To dump or not to dump

Afterwards it was on across the Heldenplatz, throught eh Hofburg and the Kohlmarkt into the Bognergasse for the way overdue Beer Stop. There was a warm welcome in the Altstadt Bräu during the afternoon hours, the children and MOM had softies, there were some spirits for Susanna Bin Laden and all the rest gloated over the delicious home brewskis. Dear landlady, dear landlord: We will be back.

The Christmas trees were parked in front of the tavern and of course being taken on again after beer consumption as the actual point of the ritual tree disposal still lay ahead. The moment came in front of the Schottenkirche, to the command of 1 - 2 - 3 the trees were being thrown onto a not-so-small pile. Then it was a few steps back to point A and no one knows for sure how many pics and videos from those happenings were made by tourists..
And we will probably never learn if the Dump Your Christmas Tree run, which symbolizes an old fertility ritual of the inner alpine region, can establish itself in other residential neighbourhoods, maybe in a slightly altered format.
There is nothing more newsworthy about a 2,8 kilometre trip through Vienna City Centre and - of course! - it is an impertinent and herewith denied false information that the routing was exactly the same just like a few years ago already.
Unquote".

Twin brothers

All I can say is thanks for this valuable piece of information.
On Out.

Here is a little love for everyone. Enjoy.