As I was staying in London for the first two weeks of December this year, the iconic traditional Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square was close to the top of my list of sights to see. My reason for wanting to see it wasn’t so much about admiring the tree itself, but was more of an acknowledgement and gesture of appreciation for its historical and cultural significance.

This year’s tree has come in for some criticism on social media in respect of its – to put it kindly- ‘modest decoration’. If its appearance is being compared to others in iconic London locations, or to the ‘main’ Christmas trees of other cities, it might appear a little sparsely adorned. However, there’s much more to the presence of this tree than its decorative value, and good reason for this minimalist styling, although I think it’s fair to say it could probably have been done better.

The decoration is totally appropriate, as continuing a tradition begun in 1947, the tree is an annual Christmas gift from the people of Oslo, the capital of Norway, to the people of London. The gift represents gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during the Second World War, but is also a historical symbol of an everlasting friendship and of remembrance.

Hence the decoration of the tree – Norwegian Christmas trees are traditionally decorated with white lights because it’s considered a more elegant and minimalistic approach, with the focus on the natural beauty of the tree itself rather than bright, colourful lights. 

A plaque placed beneath the tree reads: ” This tree is given by the City of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the years 1940-1945. A tree has been given annually since 1947.”

This year, 2024, marks the 77th anniversary of the event.

Although the tradition of the annual gifting of the Christmas tree began in 1947, the idea may have arisen from a gesture a few years earlier. The first tree to be sent here was in 1942, at which time the Norwegian king Haakon VII and his family, were in exile here as guests of King George V1, and was a gift to them from his home country. Cut down by a Norwegian resistance fighter called Mons Urangsvåg during a raid on Hisøy, an island off the west coast of Norway between Bergen and Haugesund, the tree was then transported to England and presented to the king. A new tree has since grown from the original stump.

The Tree

The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is typically a 50- to 60-year-old Norway spruce, generally over 20 metres tall. (Nelson’s Column, discounting its pedestal, is 54 metres tall). The tree is cut in Norway some time in November during a ceremony which this year was attended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the British Ambassador to Norway and the Mayor of Oslo.

After the tree is cut, it is shipped across the North Sea to the UK by boat. At one time it was shipped to Felixstowe in Suffolk free of charge by a cargo ship of the Fred Olsen Line. As of at least 2007, the tree was shipped across the North Sea to Immingham, which is at the mouth of the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire by DFDS Tor Line. Since 2018, it has been the responsibility of Radius Group, to transport, guard and erect the tree in Trafalgar Square.

Lighting ceremony and carolling

The tree lighting ceremony in Trafalgar Square is a free event that traditionally takes place on the first Thursday in December, this year on December 5th at 5:30 PM. The ceremony, led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, includes a band and choir singing Christmas carols, followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights. Since 2009, the Poetry Society has commissioned new poems annually for display on banners around the base of the tree and this year a new children’s poem by the writer and performance poet Valerie Bloom was unveiled.

Surviving the Storm

One reason for the tree looking a little dishevelled may be as a result of a battering by Storm Darragh. It’s a wonder it survived at all, but apparently it was able to as tree surgeons reattached branches that were removed for transportation. This process is called a “branch transplant” and involves branches being hammered back into the tree to give it its typical Christmas tree shape. Ouch.

A couple more Christmas trees in iconic London locations:

Merry Christmas to you all and many thanks to my loyal followers that have stuck with me despite a drought of posts for much of this year. I hope to do better in 2025!