Trafalgar Square’s famous Christmas Tree is back.
This year marks the 77th anniversary of the annual gift of a Christmas tree to the people of London from the City of Oslo, given as a token of gratitude for British Support to Norway during the Second World War. The tree will be in Trafalgar Square until Sunday 5 January 2025, the twelfth night of Christmas, before being recycled.
Don’t forget you can follow the tree on social media (handles below) for updates, and exciting facts about this symbolic, long-standing tradition.
Instagram: @TrafalgarTree
TikTok: @TrafalgarTree
Twitter: @TrafalgarTree
A symbol of friendship
The Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree is a gift from the City of Oslo to London, a longstanding tradition between our cities.
This year marks the 77th tree Oslo is sending to Trafalgar Square. The tree is approximately 60 years old, 20 meters high and weighs about 1200 kilos, the tree grew near Grefsenkleiva, in Oslo’s Forest.
About the Trafalgar Tree
History
When Norway was invaded in 1940, the King of Norway, Haakon VII, sought refuge in Britain and the Norwegian government-in-exile was established in London.
To most Norwegians, London represented the spirit of freedom during these difficult war years. From London, news broadcasts were made in Norwegian, inspiring the people of Norway and keeping their hope of freedom alive.
The Oslo Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square symbolises the close and warm relationship between the people of Norway and the people of Britain.
The felling ceremony
The tree is approximately 20 metres high, around 60 years old and is a Norwegian spruce from Grefsenkleiva, in Oslo’s Forest. It is generally considered the ‘nation’s Christmas Tree’ and a symbol of enduring friendship and international cooperation with Norway.
This year's tree was cut down by The Lord Mayor of Westminster Cllr Robert Rigby and The Mayor of Oslo Anne Lindboe, during a felling ceremony which took place on Thursday 21 November 2024.
The journey
The carbon footprint of the Christmas tree gift is approximately 1,256 kg CO₂, which is equivalent to just under the average annual mileage of a passenger car. This year, the tree is being transported from Oslo to Brevik using an electric truck, a new initiative that is a positive step in the right direction. This helps reduce the carbon footprint and is an important part of the work to make the tradition more sustainable. It will be loaded onto a specially designed cradle and transported 180 km to Brevik before being shipped by sea to Immingham in England – a journey that takes about 39 hours. To reduce damage, the transport time is now shorter than before, limiting the time the tree lies horizontally, and it is stored below deck.
A specialist rigging team erects it in Trafalgar Square using a hydraulic crane. The tree is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion, with vertical strings of lights. Energy-efficient light bulbs are used.
Trafalgar Tree lights switch on
Join us in Trafalgar Square on Thursday 5 December 2024 from 5pm to watch us switch on the Trafalgar Tree lights.
The festivities will include:
- The Choir of St-Martin-in-the-Fields singing some well known Christmas carols led by the Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army
- A poem to the Tree written and read by children who live in Westminster
The light switch on is at 6pm. The ceremony will conclude at 6.30pm.