London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Norway’s Christmas gift to Londoners leaves some perplexed

Norway’s Christmas gift to Londoners leaves some perplexed

The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, an annual gift from Norway to the UK, has raised eyebrows this year with its rather shabby appearance, prompting some to ask whether Britain has offended the Nordic nation.
This week, Norway’s annual gift of a Nordic Spruce arrived in London’s Trafalgar Square. However, once placed in a central plaza in front of the National Gallery, the 80-year-old spruce appeared scrawny and neglected, with one side looking a lot fuller than the other.

The Christmas tree, an annual present from Norway to the people of London for their assistance during the Second World War, is perhaps the capital’s most prominent festive decoration, and its installation traditionally marks the capital’s countdown to Christmas Day.

The arrival of the tree has provoked the ire of many, while some have taken to social media to mock Norway’s contribution to London’s festive décor.

Some people asked whether Britain had offended Norway or joked if they were at war with them, after Oslo’s less than impressive 24-ft gift. “Have we fallen out with Norway ?!” one person asked. Presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer asked, “Does anyone know what happened to the rest of it?” directing her question to Norway’s diplomatic mission to the UK.

Radio presenter Toby Tarrant joked that “Norway has not taken the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer well,” a reference to the recently departed Manchester United manager.

Some people said it looked like they had used last year’s tree, while others asked if it had been sitting in a truck for two weeks after being held up at customs.

“Was the London Christmas tree delivered from Norway by Hermes?” one person asked, in a joke that was echoed by others, referencing the delivery firm occasionally accused of a heavy-handed approach to transporting packages.

Another person claimed they were present when the tree was felled two weeks ago and shared a photo. They claimed the two-week journey probably caused it to look a little lopsided.

Despite being one of the most prominent trees in London for the Christmas period, it is certainly not the capital’s finest. On Thursday evening, the tree’s lights will be switched on.

The account of the tree reacted, saying it is now one of the most famous Christmas trees.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
×