A Norwegian tree on Trafalgar Square has been a staple of the British Christmas for decades. This year's tree, however, has drawn a lot of ridicule on social media.
While city officials call the Norwegian contribution Britain's “most famous Christmas tree”, netizens provided it a brutal tongue-lashing.
“The state of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square this year.... most anaemic tree possible”, former parliamentary adviser Calum Mulligan tweeted, saying he felt sorry for the poor little tree.
The state of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square this year.... most anaemic tree possible pic.twitter.com/HqbR2NAmCh
— Calum OBM (@cobm123) 2 декабря 2019 г.
Journalist Katie Hopkins asked what did Brits do to “p*ss Norway off so much”, suggesting that she saw “bigger bushes at my local swimming pool changing room”.
Dear Norway
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) 5 декабря 2019 г.
What the hell did we do to p*ss you off this much?
I’ve seen bigger bushes at my local swimming pool changing room pic.twitter.com/K5xapXD8AS
Some found the spruce rather scrawny, whereas others jokingly called it “austeri-tree”.
#TrafalgarSquare so this is the tree from Norway !!! Wow 😮 where’s the rest of it 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Z3gx9enKGf
— glenn barry (@crew8hastings) 5 декабря 2019 г.
London's "austeri-tree" 😂 Seriously though, we're in a Brexit mess and people are complaining about a Christmas tree?! #TrafalgarSquare pic.twitter.com/nbdcovV4EV
— StandUpForWales - Swansea / Abertawe (@StandUpForWales) 5 декабря 2019 г.
However, the feedback wasn't only negative, and many thought the tree looked great in Christmas lights and even offered Norway their apologies.
Dear Norway,
— Helen Pluckrose (@HPluckrose) 5 декабря 2019 г.
Thank you very much for the huge Christmas tree.
Apologies for the whiney minority of my countrymen & women who have no sense of history and even fewer manners.
Warm regards
#TrafalgarSquare
Historic Tradition
Forest-covered Norway has been providing the UK capital with Christmas trees since 1947 as a token for its gratitude for the British support during World War II, when the Norwegian king and his family fled to the UK following the Nazi invasion of their country.
A lovely photo from 1947 showing @NationalGallery overlooking the first ever Christmas tree from Norway in #TrafalgarSquare. pic.twitter.com/QyzYD5I1f4
— Madeleine Emerald (@emeraldthiele) 5 декабря 2019 г.
This year's tree is 90 years old and nearly seven metres tall. It was chosen in Trollvann in Nordmarka by Oslo Mayor Marianne Borgen and Ruth Bush, mayor of the Westminster district of London in November, felled and shipped to the UK.
London, say hello to your Trafalgar Square Christmas tree for 2019.
— Richard Wood (@RichWoodUK) 19 ноября 2019 г.
Felled today by the Lord Mayor of Westminster and Mayor of Oslo and on its way to you! #godjul 🎄 @trafalgartree #London #christmas pic.twitter.com/qCK6sxiUh8
Oslo Mayor Marianne Borgen of the Socialist Left Party called the tree “symbolic and important”, stressing the importance of the tradition to be upheld.
The Christmas tree on Trafalgar Square has a Twitter account of its own.
Standing proudly in #TrafalgarSquare. Looking forward to my lights being turned on on Thursday from 6pm. Did yule know I’m a token from Norway and have been a staple since 1947 🎄 pic.twitter.com/Gv63VeMX9b
— Trafalgar Square Tree (@trafalgartree) 4 декабря 2019 г.
In 2017, the a similar story occurred in the Italian capital, as inhabitants of Rome gave their Christmas tree the nickname “Baldy”. Some even went so far as to suggest the tree was already dead and compared with to a toilet brush.
Prayfor #Spelacchio pic.twitter.com/DSWysaldcu
— Luca Nobili (@LucaNobili) 9 декабря 2017 г.
