Famous Christmas Trees - Trafalgar Square

The Norwegian Spruce in Trafalgar Square

Every Christmas, the country of Norway presents a Norwegian spruce tree to Great Britain. The tree is sent as a gift of thanks for the help that Britain gave to Norway during World War Two.

Ever since 1947, Norway has donated a Christmas tree to Britain as a symbol of gratitude for assistance to the Norwegian people, at home and abroad, during WWII. King Håkon VII spent 5 years in London and many exiled Norwegians came to Britain during the Nazi occupation of Norway. Britain not only provided a home for thousands of Norwegians, but also sent Norwegian radio broadcasts in Norwegian those in Norway who still had radios. These broadcasts were a vital help to the Norwegian underground.

The first tree was sent to Britain in 1947 and was set up in Trafalgar Square just two days before Christmas. Since then, a tree has been sent to Britain each year, personally selected by the Norwegian Municipal Head Forester from the 17,500 hectares of Oslo's municipal forests. It is then carefully felled and sent to Oslo docks, then shipped to Felixstowe. Arriving in London, the tree is crane-lifted into it's now permanent setting, in Trafalgar Square.

The trees are usually about 75 feet, and are decorated with white lights.

Resistance to the tradition has come from Europeans who regard it as a violation of import restrictions. Environmental demonstrations have been organized around it, people have been chained to it, and some people have tried to cut it down.