- The community association has struggled to get money together and spent a lot of time. It has been a joy in the whole community when we lit these fir trees, says Berne Runemalm, who was previously involved in the community association in Älghult.

The brackets and electrical outlets for the Christmas trees that sat on the Swedish Transport Administration's lighting poles were removed in September in the small community Älghult in Uppvidinge municipality.

Removed for safety reasons

The rules are not new, but were already formulated in 2012, but in recent years the Swedish Transport Administration has begun to check more closely that they are being followed, because the posts are not dimensioned for the often heavy Christmas lights.

- It's for security reasons. On the one hand, the decoration can physically fall down. On the one hand, if we take action on the post, the quality of the post can change. We can only go by what the manufacturers say if we use the pole as it is intended to be used, says Elin Isaksson, national traffic engineer at the Swedish Transport Administration.

No Christmas lights in small towns

Almost three years ago, we talked about Gelma outside Växjö and Hestra in Gislaved municipality who were not allowed to put up their Christmas decorations in the Swedish Transport Administration's lighting posts. Recently, poles were also removed in Lenhovda and Åseda, but it is unclear which more places in the country will be affected, because it depends on who owns the lamp posts.

In larger urban areas it is the municipality that owns the lighting pillars, but in smaller communities the responsibility may look different. Sometimes the poles are owned by the Swedish Transport Administration, sometimes by the municipality and sometimes there may be another solution such as, for example, an association owns the poles.

How can you know who owns the posts?

- It is very difficult for ordinary people to know, but you have to ask on a case-by-case basis, says Elin Isaksson.

Ronny Hedberg shows off one of the 27 fir trees that have been sitting on the lighting pillars in Älghult for more than 20 years at Christmas. Photo: SVT / Clary Kroon

In Älghult, 27 small fir trees are stored in the basement of the school, but they do not know now what to do with them when they can no longer be installed in the lighting pillar.

- We have had all the firs put up for over 20 years. It is sad that you should not get him any joy in the countryside, says Berne Runemalm.