Colorful tree 'sweaters' branch out across country

From online to offline, a trend of dressing trees in colorful sweaters has swept across the country this winter, with the vibrant spectacle adorning roadsides in many places.

Initially, people used AI software to "dress" iconic buildings such as the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai with the sweaters. Tourism departments then joined in, dressing historical buildings and landmarks.

In Dalian, Liaoning province, several popular attractions in Zhongshan district saw roadside trees adorned with colorful sweaters, each with its own theme reflecting the creativity of the weavers.

One that gained widespread attention in the northeastern port city was a ginkgo tree in front of the post office at Zhongshan Square, decked out in a sweater of bright colors intended to trigger the release of dopamine, and with a heart-shaped pattern.

"To respond to the tourism department's 'Winter Fairy Tale, Romantic Dalian' theme event, we thought of dressing the tree with a sweater, aiming to make it a picturesque spot for photos," said Meng Zhuo, the head of the Zhongshan branch of China Post.

In late November, resident Miao Chunyan, 63, was invited to knit a sweater for the ginkgo tree. She enjoys knitting dolls, hats and other small items, but had never thought of knitting a large sweater for a tree.

"There are many elements to consider, such as knitting size, density and more," Miao said. She made multiple trips between her home and the post office, measuring, modifying and fitting the sweater for size repeatedly.

When the garment decoration was finished, the tree attracted many visitors who eagerly shared their beautiful photos on social media.

The postal company added sweaters to a mailbox and lamp post near the tree.

While knitting the mailbox sweater, Miao carefully measured its irregular top section, pondering how to knit the pullover to be both aesthetically pleasing and durable.

"One night, I couldn't sleep and thought about how the arm part of the sweater I knitted during the day was too loose. It could easily get stretched if someone pulled it for a photo," she recalled.

It was midnight, but she immediately got up, unraveled the arm part, and reknitted it tighter. "That way, it wouldn't easily stretch, and it would also be easier to maintain," said Miao.