'Spruced up': 'Half dead' Trafalgar Square Christmas tree praised for being 'best in years' after 'branch transplant'
5 December 2023, 14:50
The annual Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has been 'spruced' up with branches after being mocked for looking "half dead" by Londoners.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Now, after undergoing a 'branch transplant', the Christmas tree has been praised as 'the best in years'.
Westminster City Council have now confirmed that the branches were removed from the Norwegian tree for transportation purposes.
The branches from the fir have now been reattached by tree surgeons, who hammered the branches back into the tree on Monday afternoon, to give it a more even appearance.
X/Twitter user, Dan Barker, posted photos of the branch reattachment process and an explanation.
This is the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree before & after its settling & its "hair transplant" (they hammer extra branches into the gaps to even it out - an impressively symmetrical job).
— dan barker (@danbarker) December 4, 2023
The lighting ceremony is this Thursday at 5.30pm. pic.twitter.com/uOpad0KLm2
He wrote: “Here's how the 'hair transplant' works:
"1. They cut branches off lower down the tree & shape those
"2. They then use a cherrypicker to manoeuvre around to the bare spots.
"3. They hammer those branches in to even it out."
Here's how the 'hair transplant' works:
— dan barker (@danbarker) December 4, 2023
1. They cut branches off lower down the tree & shape those (see the ground in pic 1).
2. They then use a cherrypicker to manoeuvre around to the bare spots.
3. They hammer those branches in to even it out.
(will put a little video below) pic.twitter.com/A4V737eLOS
The 70 ft fir tree initially faced a barrage of criticism from social media after it arrived on Monday from Norway.
Read more: 'It looks quite dead': Social media erupts as Trafalgar Square Christmas tree arrives
One X/Twitter user posted: "Dear #Norway, as a Londoner can we talk about this tree for #TrafalgarSquare you sent... Did you actually get the order or did @MayorofLondon order it from Wish.. Please send a new one asap, this is getting embarrassing."
Another even compared the tree to the country and posted: "Each year it feels like this is a visual representation of the state of the nation. This year is 'meh, could be better, could be worse."
It comes after the tree was also mocked in 2021 and 2022 for looking threadbare.
Read more: 'Norway hates us': Londoners mock Trafalgar Square Christmas tree ahead of unveiling
The tree is traditionally gifted to the UK from Norway, as a way to thank the country for its support during the Second World War.
The token of gratitude was first sent over in 1947 from the city of Oslo.
The lighting ceremony is set to take place on Thursday, December 7.
