Workers last Friday maneuvered the trunk of the Vatican's Christmas tree into its stand in St. Peter's Square. (CNS photo by Carol Glatz)
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican will recycle its Christmas tree — and not for firewood, paper or mulch.
It will be turned into wooden toys, toy chests, benches and other things that children can decorate and use.
Yesterday’s edition of L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, said the wood of the majestic, 108-foot-tall spruce in St. Peter’s Square would be given to several companies that make “semi-finished” products for children, including benches and gazebos for schoolyards or parks, as well as toys, boxes and frames.
The companies’ rough work will be given to schools and other institutions that run children’s workshops, and the kids themselves will paint and varnish the objects, the newspaper said.
The project is motivated by a desire “not to waste” the 120-year-old tree, but “to reuse it to benefit the planet’s new generation,” L’Osservatore reported.
Meanwhile, people can keep track of the Vatican workers’ progress in decorating the tree by checking out the webcams the Vatican has focused on St. Peter’s Square from the cupola of St. Peter’s Basilica and from the top of the colonnade surrounding the square.
CNS Blog 
Looks like the colonnade webcam is working, but the one from the the cupola has not been updated since last July. Someone needs to send the Geek Squad!
That will be some beautiful wood to make toys out of. Hope they put up pictures of the toys created.
I just love stories like this, imagine all the joy from adults and children alike knowing what came of this fine tree. It’s so nice to read something refreshingly good in these trying times. Thanks