ANDREW BATCHELOR: Dundee appears to have got its festive mojo back with the return of its City Square Christmas Tree

The tree back in the City Square this morning (Picture: Mark Thomas / Supplied)

There’s something truly special about walking through City Square and seeing a proper Christmas tree again.

For the first time since 2020, Dundee has brought back a traditional tree to the heart of the city – and judging by the reaction so far, people are delighted.

The tree arrived around 7am this morning, and it’s the closest it’s ever been to the City Square itself. It feels right. It feels like Dundee at Christmas.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen all sorts of attempts to reimagine what the city’s festive celebrations should look like, but this year’s return to something simple and heartfelt seems to have struck the right chord.

Let’s be honest – Dundee’s festive seasons haven’t always gone smoothly.

After 2020’s tree, the council introduced a “living Christmas tree” under the Old Steeple, but it didn’t last long, dying within a year and leaving many Dundonians disappointed.

Then we had the Social Bite tree, which brought a welcome charitable focus, but that too eventually moved on to Union Street.

The 2021 and 2022 seasons were dominated by WinterFest at Slessor Gardens, but when the organisers failed to return for 2023, things fell apart. What followed was a damp squib – the council scrambled to pull something together at the last minute, and it just didn’t capture the festive magic.

NL Productions were due to take over Dundee’s Christmas festivities from 2024 under a three-year deal with the council, but that was scrapped after just one year.

Now, in 2025, Dundee City Council is back in charge, working alongside several local partners, including Horne’s Pleasure Fairs, who are running rides at Caird and Riverside Parks.

And honestly? This feels like the right move. The early signs suggest Dundee is finally getting its festive mojo back.

A proper Christmas tree in City Square may seem like a small thing, but it’s a powerful symbol of tradition, community, and civic pride. It brings people together, and it feels like home.