Why does Norway send the UK a Christmas tree every year?
- Published
This week London's Trafalgar Square received its Christmas tree, which has travelled all the way from Norway to the UK.
The famous tree is a gift from the city of Oslo, Norway's capital city, and forms part of a longstanding tradition between the two cities going back more than 70 years.
The spruce will light up on Thursday 4 December in a festive ceremony, with carols and live music.
But why does Norway send the UK a Christmas tree every year? Keep reading to find out.
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How does the Norway Christmas tree get to the UK?
Lord Mayor of Westminster Paul Dimoldenberg and Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe work together to saw the Norwegian spruce tree in a forest near Oslo
The 20-metre-tall tree is about 65 years old and is the 79th Trafalgar Square Christmas tree.
It was selected by experts and given the name "Ever Oslo", chosen through a social media poll.
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is usually a mature Norwegian spruce and around 50 to 60 years old, due to the size needed.
The tree is selected from the forests surrounding Oslo several months or even years in advance.
The tree arrives in London a few days before the light switch on so the branches have time to settle
The tree then begins a long and complicated annual journey to the UK.
First of all, it is driven more than 60 miles south of Oslo to the port of Brevik.
There it is carefully loaded onto a ship (avoiding any contact with salt water, which could damage it) and sets sail to the UK.
When it arrives in the UK, it is checked by customs officers before being loaded onto another lorry for its ride to central London.
When it reaches Trafalgar Square, a specialist rigging team carefully puts the tree up using a hydraulic crane.
The tree will be decorated in traditional Norwegian style, with vertical strings of lights.
Why does Norway send the UK a Christmas tree every year?
The light switch on event is always a very special occassion
The tradition started in 1947 and is a gift from Norway for Britain's support during World War II.
When Norway was invaded in 1940, the King of Norway at the time, Haakon VII, sought refuge in Britain, and the Norwegian government moved to London.
After the war, Norway began sending a Christmas tree to London every year as a way of saying 'thank you'.
The tree symbolises the close friendship between the people of Norway and Britain.
