In pictures: Christmas trees from around the world
- Published
Did you know that the Christmas tree that stands every year in London's Trafalgar Square is actually a gift from the people of Norway! It is selected from the forests surrounding Oslo and is brought to the UK by sea before completing its journey by lorry. The tradition began in 1947 as a thank you from Norway for Britain's support during World War II. The tree is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion, with vertical strings of energy-efficient lights.
This picture shows the Christmas tree at Manger Square in Bethlehem. It stands in front of the Church of the Nativity, which is one of the oldest working churches in existence today and is located on the spot believed to be the birthplace of Jesus. The Church is one of the most sacred Christian sites in the world and is a popular places for Christmastime pilgrimages.
This year, Italy's capital Rome has decided to come up with more eco-friendly ways to light up the city's Christmas decorations. These include a pedal-powered tree, where members of the public can hop on six bikes to generate electricity which lights up the tree! They've also put up a tree in one of the city's squares which is is lit up entirely by solar power!
Venezuela's capital Caracas has also gone down a more sustainable route. The South American county's tree is 10 metres high and is made from 15,000 recycled plastic bottles which were collected from the streets of the city.
The Vatican's Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square is accompanied by a wooden Nativity Scene, made entirely of cedar wood harvested from a sustainable forest and features life-sized hand-carved figures. Behind it is St Peter's Basilica, where Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, holds a special service at midnight on Christmas Eve, to celebrate Christmas and the birth of Christ.
We couldn't put together a list without including one of the world's most iconic Christmas trees! This one stands outside New York's Rockefeller Center. It's a tradition that began in 1931, when workers there decided to put their money together to buy a Christmas tree. The dazzling display features more than 50,000 multicoloured lights and the star at the top contains 3 MILLIONS sparking Swarovski crystals across 70 triangular spikes!
Some cities have been getting very creative with their trees. In Georgia's capital Tbilisi, the statue of St. George has been decorated with lights to look like one! The country is mainly Orthodox Christian and celebrates Christmas according to the old Julian calendar, on the 7th January.
It's not only outside where spectacular Christmas trees can be found. This giant tree is located inside one of Paris' most famous department stores, Galeries Lafayette. It's over 20 metres tall and extends all the way up into the famous dome! Every 30 minutes, the lights on the tree go out and a sound and light show begins in which as if by magic, the Christmas trees come to life!