"Trafalgar Square Christmas tree The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo, Norway each year since 1947. The tree is prominently displayed in Trafalgar Square from the beginning of December until 6 January. The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has been an annual gift to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo as a token of gratitude for British support to Norway during the Second World War. The tree has provided a central focus for the Trafalgar Square traditional carol-singing programme, performed by different groups raising money"
"is given by the city of Oslo as a token of Norwegian gratitude to the people of London for their assistance during the years 1940-45.<br><br>A tree has been given annually since 1947."" The tree lighting ceremony in Trafalgar Square takes place on the first Thursday in December and is attended by thousands of people. The ceremony, led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, includes a band and choir followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights. Traditionally, the tree provides a focal point for Christmas carolling groups. For many in London, the tree and the accompanying carolling signals the"
"for display in Trafalgar Square as a token of gratitude for the UK's support during World War II. King Haakon, his son Crown Prince Olav and the country's government lived in exile in London throughout the war. As part of the tradition, the Lord Mayor of Westminster visits Oslo in the late autumn to take part in the felling of the tree, and the Mayor of Oslo then goes to London to light the tree at the Christmas ceremony. Norway has played an active role as a third party mediator in a number of international conflicts. The late foreign minister"
"could give Norway some protection from German hegemony. During World War I, Norway was neutral. However, due to largely favouring the British over the Germans, Norway came to be known as The Neutral Ally. During World War II, Norway was invaded and occupied by Germany, forcing the Norwegian king and government to create a government-in-exile in London. The British military also helped train and organize Norwegian commandos to attack Nazi installations in Norway. As a token of appreciation from the Norwegian people to the people of Britain, a Norwegian Christmas Tree is sent every year from Oslo to Trafalgar Square"
"important to the Allied war effort, however, was the role of the Norwegian Merchant Marine. At the time of the invasion, Norway had the fourth-largest merchant marine fleet in the world. It was led by the Norwegian shipping company Nortraship under the Allies throughout the war and took part in every war operation from the evacuation of Dunkirk to the Normandy landings. Each December Norway gives a Christmas tree to the United Kingdom as thanks for the British assistance during the Second World War. A ceremony takes place to erect the tree in London's Trafalgar Square. Svalbard was not occupied"
"Alfhild Hovdan Alfhild Hovdan (née Olsen; 13 September 1904 – 20 February 1982) was a Norwegian journalist, and later tourist manager for the city of Oslo for more than forty years. She is known for initiating the tradition of the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree, a present from the city of Oslo to the people of London, in recognition of their assistance during World War II. Hovdan was born in Kristiania, and grew up in Skien. After examen artium she started a career as journalist. From 1927 she worked for the Swedish newspaper ""Stockholms Dagblad"", and for ""Oslo Aftenavis"" and the"
"Brussels Christmas tree The Brussels Christmas tree is a Christmas tree erected annually in the Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium. It has traditionally been a real tree either from the Ardennes forest, from the city of Helsinki or from different countries as diplomatic gift, except in 2012 when it was replaced with an abstract sculpture. Traditionally, the Grand Place in the centre of Brussels hosts a real Christmas tree each year, taken from the Ardennes forest. The normal height for these trees is around high. The Grand Place itself dates from the 17th century and has played host to a Christmas"
"increased to 25,000. Due to concerns over vandalism during New Year's celebrations in the Grand Place, it was announced in early December that the tree would be taken down on 28 December, instead of early January, as was the case with the real trees in the past. Brussels Christmas tree The Brussels Christmas tree is a Christmas tree erected annually in the Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium. It has traditionally been a real tree either from the Ardennes forest, from the city of Helsinki or from different countries as diplomatic gift, except in 2012 when it was replaced with an abstract"
"Poland, Pope John Paul II's country of origin, but not in the Vatican at the time. The first tree came from Italy. Since then, the offering of the Christmas Tree to the Pope has become an honour, and each year the Vatican accepts a tree donated by a different European country or region.<ref name=""NECN/APTV""></ref> The Christmas tree is installed in the centre of Saint Peter's Square, together with a life-size nativity scene that is unveiled on Christmas Eve. The nativity scene has seventeen life-size statues. Of these, nine are the original figures donated in 1842 by Saint Vincent Pallotti for"
"Christmas tree in the world. The cable new channel listed 12 trees, and put the National Christmas Tree behind the tree erected in Cathedral Square, Vilnius, Lithuania; the Lego Christmas tree at Legoland Malaysia; the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City; the tree at the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris, France; and the ""Floating Christmas tree"" erected by oil company Bradesco Seguros in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 2015 Christmas Tree was covered in amber and white lights that occasionally twinkled. The state and territory trees had the same color lights and were decorated"
"Germany produced 19 million Christmas trees annually, followed by France's 9.2 million trees, Denmark's 8.5 million trees, Belgium's 5.2 million trees, and Great Britain's 4.4. million Christmas trees produced. The seeds used to grow Christmas trees in most European countries are harvested in Georgia (90%). The working conditions of seed pickers in a largely unregulated industry has been highlighted as a concern to the main companies buying seeds for cultivation in Denmark. Ultimately the growing of Christmas trees that end up in the majority of homes across Europe have been produced by workers in conditions protected by European law. However,"
"The festivity is open to the public and attracts a large number of people. The switch-on is usually followed by several nights of Christmas carol singing and other performances and events. On the twelfth night of Christmas, the tree is taken down for recycling. Westminster City Council threatened to abandon the event to save £5,000 in 1980 but the decision was reversed. The tree is selected by the Head Forester from Oslo's municipal forest and shipped, across the North Sea to the Port of Felixstowe, then by road to Trafalgar Square. The first tree was tall, but more recently has"
"domestically by individual families. One producer from Koziegłówki stated that every other house was an artificial tree producer. The trees are made from a special film which is imported from China or Thailand. Entire families take part in production and the trees are sold throughout Poland with some being exported to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. British demand for natural Christmas trees is around 8 million annually, with about two-thirds of households opting for artificial trees. When a Danish tree shortage in 2006 resulted in only 200,000 of the usual 1 million Nordmann Fir trees to the British Isles, British"
"Vatican Christmas Tree The Vatican Christmas Tree, also called the Saint Peter's Square Christmas Tree, is the decorated tree that is erected annually in the Saint Peter's Square directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City to celebrate the Christmas holiday season. The tradition of placing a Christmas Tree as well as the life-size Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square started in 1982 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, when the Polish-born Pope introduced the northern European symbol of Christmas spirit. The tradition of erecting a Christmas Tree was celebrated in northern Europe and in"
"Christmas tree production Christmas tree production occurs worldwide on Christmas tree farms, in artificial tree factories and from native strands of pine and fir trees. Christmas trees, pine and fir trees purposely grown for use as a Christmas tree, are grown on plantations in many western nations, including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In Australia, the industry is relatively new, and nations such as the United States, Germany and Canada are among world leaders in annual production. Great Britain consumes about 8 million trees annually, while in the United States between 35 and 40 million trees are"
"an axe to an oak tree dedicated to Thor and pointed out a fir tree, which he stated was a more fitting object of reverence because it pointed to heaven and it had a triangular shape, which he said was symbolic of the Trinity. The English language phrase ""Christmas tree"" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. From Germany the custom was introduced to Britain, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the reign of Queen Victoria. By 1841 the Christmas tree had become even"
"most Christian churches continue to display the traditional Christmas tree in their sanctuaries during Christmastide. In 2005, the city of Boston renamed the spruce tree used to decorate the Boston Common a ""Holiday Tree"" rather than a ""Christmas Tree"". The name change was reversed after the city was threatened with several lawsuits. Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine, or fir or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas, originating in Northern Europe. The custom was developed in medieval Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia), and"
"Felixstowe 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 by DFDS Tor Line. As of 2018, it has been the responsibility of Radius Crane Management Ltd. to transport, guard and erect the tree in Trafalgar Square. The Trafalgar Square tree is decorated in a traditional Norwegian style and adorned with 500 white lights. In 2008, the tree utilised low-wattage halogen bulbs which used 3.5 kW of power. At the base of the tree stands a plaque, bearing the words: ""This tree"
"as a cartel. Christmas tree shortages in Europe, especially Great Britain, have been reported frequently since the late 1990s. Generally speaking, many of these reports cite crop issues in Denmark as part of the reason for the shortages. In addition, large price increases have been reported from year to year. Between 2005 and 2009 the price of Danish grown Christmas trees increased by 80 percent. The ""Western Mail"" reported a 2006 Christmas tree shortage and resultant price increase in Great Britain. The report blamed changes in agricultural policies in Denmark which the DCTGA director Kaj Østergaard stated caused many Danish"
"the natural Christmas tree market. Christmas tree production Christmas tree production occurs worldwide on Christmas tree farms, in artificial tree factories and from native strands of pine and fir trees. Christmas trees, pine and fir trees purposely grown for use as a Christmas tree, are grown on plantations in many western nations, including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. In Australia, the industry is relatively new, and nations such as the United States, Germany and Canada are among world leaders in annual production. Great Britain consumes about 8 million trees annually, while in the United States between 35"
"in London. Each year for the last 60 years Newcastle upon Tyne has received a Christmas tree as a gift from the people of Bergen, one of Newcastle’s twin cities. The impressive Norwegian spruce, standing at 45 feet tall, was personally felled by Gunnar Bakke who has been the mayor of Newcastle’s twin city since September 2007. Each year the tree is decorated in traditional Norwegian white lights and is a symbol of peace and goodwill. The people of Norway also send a tree to the town of Great Grimsby every Christmas since the end of World War II, for"
"Norway ""Julenissen"" and Sweden ""Jultomten"", personally meets children and gives presents in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, Romania, Uruguay, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, Christmas presents are opened mostly on the evening of the 24th – following German tradition, this is also the practice among the British Royal Family since it was introduced by Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort – while in Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, English"
"this purpose. Fraser fir has been used more times as the White House Christmas tree (the official Christmas tree of the President of the United States's White House) than any other tree. It is grown in plantations in Scotland and sold by the thousands throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is also cultivated from seedlings in several northern states in the USA and adjacent parts of Quebec province, especially for the Christmas tree trade. The combination of form, needle retention, dark blue-green color, pleasant scent and excellent shipping characteristics has led to Fraser fir being a most popular Christmas"
"Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, this occurs mostly on the morning of Christmas Day. In other Latin American countries, people stay awake until midnight, when they open the presents. In Spain, gifts are traditionally opened on the morning of 6 January, Epiphany day (""Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos""), though in some other countries, like Argentina and Uruguay, people receive presents both around Christmas and on the morning of Epiphany day. In Belgium and the Netherlands Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas and his companion Zwarte Piet deliver presents to children and adults alike on the evening of 5 December,"
"Boston Christmas Tree The Boston Christmas Tree is the City of Boston, Massachusetts' official Christmas tree. A tree has been lit each year since 1941, and since 1971 it has been given to the people of Boston by the people of Nova Scotia in thanks for their assistance after the 1917 Halifax Explosion. The tree is lit in the Boston Common throughout the Christmas season. On December 6, 1917 at 9:04:35 am, the Halifax Explosion severely destroyed much of the city, by the largest man-made explosion up to that time. Boston authorities learned of the disaster by telegraph, and quickly"
"Trafalgar Square. Festivities include a parade, cultural feast, fireworks, concerts and performances. The celebration attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 people yearly according to the organisers. In Paris, the celebrations have been held since the 1980s in several districts during one month with many performances and the main of the three parades with 40 groups and 4,000 performers is attended alone by more than 200,000 people in the 13th arrondissement. Many celebrate the festival in Chinatown, Kolkata, India where a significant community of people of Chinese origin exists. In Kolkata, Chinese New Year is celebrated with lion and dragon dance. In"
"the past few years the tree has been selected by the people of Sortland. After the English town of Harwich was badly affected by the North Sea Flood of 1953, in which several people were made homeless, the Norwegian Government responded by funding the building of some wooden houses in the town. Despite being considered temporary, the houses still stand in Harwich today. Norway and the U.K. share mutual border boundary lines in Antarctica, and mutually recognise each other's claims as well as those of Australia, France and New Zealand. Both countries are full members of NATO and of the"
"(31 October). In Canada many families wait until after Remembrance Day, as to show respect to fallen soldiers. Some households do not put up the tree until the second week of December, and leave it up until 6 January (Epiphany). In Germany, traditionally the tree is put up on 24 December and taken down on 7 January, though many start one or two weeks earlier, and in Roman Catholic homes the tree may be kept until February 2 (Candlemas). In Italy, Ireland and Argentina, along with many countries in Latin America, the Christmas tree is put up on 8 December"
"Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine, or fir or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas, originating in Northern Europe. The custom was developed in medieval Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia), and in early modern Germany where Protestant Germans brought decorated trees into their homes. It acquired popularity beyond the Lutheran areas of Germany and the Baltic countries during the second half of the 19th century, at first among the upper classes. The tree was traditionally decorated with ""roses made of colored paper, apples,"
"Sri Lankan Christmas tree The Sri Lankan Christmas tree is the world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree. It was built on the Galle Face Green in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the tree is 72.1m (236 ft 6.58 in) tall and opened on Christmas Eve 2016. The cone-shaped tree is a steel-and-wire frame made from scrap metal and wood, and covered by plastic netting. It is decorated with approximately one million natural pine cones painted gold, green, red and silver colors. It has 600,000 LED bulbs which illuminate the tree at night. On the top of the tree there is a tall Christmas"
"triangular shape, which he said was symbolic of the Trinity. However, the English-language phrase ""Christmas tree"" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. From Germany the custom was introduced to England, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the early reign of Queen Victoria. The influential 1840s image of the Queen's decorated evergreen was republished in the U.S, and as the first widely circulated picture of a decorated Christmas tree in America, the custom there spread. Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments."
"planning to raise the possibility for future membership. Norway also has a history of co-operation and friendship with the United Kingdom and Scotland, due to their shared cultural heritage since Viking times. The Vikings conquered areas including the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland for several hundred years. Norway is only 300 kilometres (159 Nautical miles) east of Unst, the northernmost island of Shetland. The Norwegian embassy to the United Kingdom is located in London, and Norway also maintains a Consulate General in Edinburgh. A Norway Spruce is given by the city of Oslo and presented to London as a Christmas tree"
"Lisbon Christmas tree The Lisbon Christmas tree is an Artificial Christmas tree erected annually in Lisbon, Portugal since 2004. From 2005, when it was an entrant in the Guinness World Records, the tree is called the ""Europe's tallest Christmas tree"". The height of the tree varies every year and it was the highest in 2007 at . The tree was erected for the first time in Lisbon in 2004 in the Comercio Square. In 2007 it left the Portuguese capital for Porto the country’s second largest city. In 2008 it returned to Lisbon but to the Edward VII Park. In"