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Granen før den ble hugget |
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Each year for 57 years a huge Christmas tree is sent from the people and forest in Oslo to Trafalgar Square in London, in gratitude for help and support we received from the British people during WW2. This year the forest was beatifully covered in white snow - and I was there 
The Christmas tree was cut in a ceremony Tuesday 25.11 in Rausjømarka (southern part of Østmarka). The traditional ceremony was attended by Oslo's mayor, the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the British ambassador and lots of Norwegian and English people. Two groups of school children sang Christmas carols while refreshments were served and the impressive tree "chopped" down.The cutting started with a traditional saw, but was finished by local lumber jacks with motorized help.
The same evening the tree started the long journey to Trafalgar Square. It was first trimmed in the forest, then driven from Østmarka to Brevik during night. In Brevik it was put onto the 'England boat' to cross the North sea - for it to reach Trafalgar Square in time for the lighting sermony on December 4th where ex-Mayor Ditlev-Simonsen of Oslo lit the tree.
Links to more info re. this tradition and cutting of this years "Londongran' from Friluftsetaten, Oslo Kommune: Londongrana 3, Londongrana 2 and Londongrana 1
and in English: Aftenposten in English and Famous Christmas Trees - Trafalgar Square
Web-camera of Trafalgar Square + archive pictures of arrival of tree 02.12.03; kl.06, kl.07, kl.08 and kl.09.
Friluftsetaten in Oslo kommune informed that this years tree was 104 years old, 22 meters high and with a weight of 3,5 tonns. The tree was selected more than 15 years ago, and the area around was trimmed to make space for the tree to grow large. 10 years ago they started to fertilize around it to keep the nice green color during its duty as Christmas Tree.
The Christmas tree sites last years:
2005: Lillomarka - Tonsehagen
2004: Østmarka igjen - ved Rundtjern
2003: Østmarka - Mosjøen
2002: Østmarka - Ødegården
2001: Nordmarka - north side of Sognsvann and BBC news from Trafalgar Square
2000: Østmarka - Kattisa
1999: Nordmarka - akebakken Korketrekkeren
It is many tour possibilties to the place, from Bysetermosan one can bike, walk and ski. Try the nice blue-marked track going east from the parking, in very nice and varied forest down to the lake Mosjøen. In winter many people ski to Vangen, and in summer one can canoe from there - in many directions all year around. Northeast of Mosjøen is Østmarka natural reserve with old forest (urskog) just a few kilometers away. And if you hear howling - it is not wolves, but the dogs at Skjelbreia you hear...
The original Christmas themed cache was Christmas decorated and with Cristmas content. It has now been replaced with a small box with place for smaller trading items, preferrable Christmas items during season.