Tiós, love locks and tree‑hugging: when traditions damage nature and structures

A few days ago, coinciding with the influx of tiós in many streets of La Seu, someone told me they had been surprised last year by how many tangerine peels people threw into the road. It seemed entirely uncivil. With the recent arrival of a baby in their household, however, they have understood why: the tió — the Catalan Christmas log — will “poop” for them for the first time on the twenty-fourth. That explained why the tiós in most homes have a long appetite; tangerine peels vanish in no time.

Despite their appetite and supposed magic, tiós are still beaten as part of the ritual. That practice provoked controversy years ago when some schools tried to avoid the hitting, arguing it could encourage violence. As with many seasonal customs, tree trunks endure all sorts of marks: lovers’ habit of carving initials into bark is a kind of botanical tattoo, a permanent witness to their love in a way that graffiti on walls is not.

That custom has found a substitute in the so‑called love locks. Couples attach a padlock to a bridge and throw the key away to symbolise everlasting love — a quicker and easier option than carving into hard bark. Since around 2000 the practice has spread across bridges worldwide. In 2014 the accumulated weight of locks on Paris’s Pont des Arts was cited as the primary reason a section of parapet collapsed. Locks also rust and deteriorate, and the places where they accumulate can quickly become visually degraded, prompting authorities responsible for the structures’ safety to remove them.

If the blows delivered to tiós and the wounds lovers inflict on trunks have softened readers’ sensibilities, it is understandable if some feel an urge to hug a tree. Proponents of “tree therapy” say the practice relieves stress and benefits health. Reality, however, is less romantic: too much enthusiasm can become a problem. In Cabezón de la Sal, a well‑known sequoia grove declared a natural monument in 2003, experts say excess tree hugging and the resulting foot traffic have compacted the soil, weakening roots and harming the site’s vitality. Arboriculture specialists therefore advise against the practice.

If you still feel like embracing a tree this holiday season, consider doing it with one nearby rather than at a sensitive or protected site — and be aware there is a good chance even relatives, such as in‑laws, may disapprove.