Christmas in Trafalgar Square

The annual present to Londoners from the people of Norway, a towering Christmas tree (usually a Norwegian spruce over 20m high and 50 to 60 years old), given each year since 1947 as a token of gratitude for Britain's support during WWII, takes pride of place in Trafalgar Square until January, when it is taken down for recycling. The tree is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion, using vertical strings of energy-efficient bulbs. Carols are performed beside the tree by a wide variety of London groups each evening from Dec 7-22, 5-9pm.