Pictures of The Suttetræ (Dummy Tree) in Frederiksberg Have, something we had heard about, but not come across before today. Apparently, once a child is too big for it's dummy here, it's tradition to go to a Suttetræ, so the child can give up their prized plugs in exchange for a present or some other form of blackmail! I kind of felt sorry for the tree a little, covered with bags of plastic dummies hanging like brightly coloured grapes, it looked like some kind of giant fairground goldfish stall....
But it was interesting to see (traditions from other countries always fascinate me!), and very touching to witness a couple of tiny children bidding a brave farewell to their little plastic friends! There are plenty of Suttræs to be found throughout Copenhagen apparently should you need one. (By the way Emil, if mummy is reading this, then we saw your note! The tree is looking after your old dummies very well!)
It got me thinking about how we managed to rid of them once and for all in our house. I think the "Easter Bunny" took R's in exchange for a little brother, which I think was a great deal (not really, she got a scooter), and S very graciously wanted to post his to his then newborn Baby Cousin (I found them at the top of the kitchen cupboard the other day during a clear out!), and then instantly regretted his decision, and kept asking for them to be posted back. He even interrogated Baby Cousin on his last visit as to whether he still had them or not. Good job for me that at that point Baby Cousin couldn't actually talk or I would have had some explaining to do!
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