People are confused as half of Trafalgar Square’s Christmas tree is installed | UK News

A Christmas tree is supposed to be the centrepiece of festive celebrations, filling our homes and public spaces with festive cheer.

But it seems like this year, Trafalgar Square didn’t get the memo.

Onlookers watched as the tree was installed at the iconic London landmark earlier today – and shared their surprise as the spruce appeared to be ‘half dead’.

Trafalgar Square’s tree is a gift from the people of Norway, which has been sent to Britain every year since 1947 to recognise our support during World War II.

However, it’s often faced criticism for its appearance, and this year is no exception.

One person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, ‘that’s only half the tree,’ while another asked ‘where’s the other half of it?!’ and a third said ‘is it me, or does it look quite dead?’.

Some, however, leapt to the tree’s defence on Monday, writing on social media: ‘It’s very irritating to see the disrespect to the tradition.’

Another wrote: ‘They always say bad things! Everyone looks weary after a long trip, right? Give it time to spruce up!’

Thankfully, the council is well prepared for the tree to look a little worse for wear after its long journey, and after installation additional branches are hammered into the trunk to give it a full, vibrant look.

The Christmas light switch-on in Trafalgar Square is set to go ahead on Thursday at 6pm.

A spokesperson for Westminster Council said: ‘It’s not always about what’s on the outside, this is a beautiful tradition which I hope will carry on for years to come.’

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