Trafalgar Square Christmas tree

The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree stands in the heart of Westminster, London. It is a Norway spruce, usually between 20 and 25 metres tall, brought from Oslo each year. The tradition began in 1947 as a thank-you gift for British support during the Second World War. The tree is decorated with 500 white lights and remains in place from early December until 6 January. At its base is a plaque reading that it is given by Oslo to London in gratitude for help from 1940 to 1945. The first tree arrived in 1942, brought by Norwegian commandos including Mons Urangsvåg. One of the officers present was Commander Ian Fleming, later known for creating James Bond. The tree is cut in Norway in a ceremony attended by the British Ambassador and the Mayors of Oslo and Westminster. After transport by sea, it is guarded and erected in Trafalgar Square by Radius Group. The lighting ceremony draws thousands, followed by carol singing that raises money for charities. Visitors find a tall spruce glowing with white lights above the square’s fountains and statues. Around the tree, banners display poems commissioned by the Poetry Society since 2009. Schoolchildren sometimes perform one of these poems at the lighting-up event. The tree’s presence marks the start of London’s Christmas season, with choirs gathering nightly. After Twelfth Night, the tree is recycled into mulch, continuing its life in another form.