Trafalgar Square was awash with festive joy as London's final Christmas tree was lit up in all its glory.
Hundreds of excited people gathered at 6pm on Thursday to witness the unveiling of the world famous tree at a lighting ceremony.
The centrepiece has been an annual gift from the people of Oslo to the people of London since 1947, a gesture of thanks for British support to Norway during WWII.
This year's Norweigan Spruce, which is around 20 metres tall and between 50 and 60 years old, is the 70th tree given.
Handpicked from a forest close to the Norwegian capital, the tree is often selected months or sometimes years in advance for its height and pedigree, then cut down and popped on a boat bound for Britain.
A few hundred nautical miles later, the tree lands in the north and is then transported to London town to be put up by a specialist rigging team in Trafalgar Square.
Following Thursday’s ceremony, there will plenty more events to follow, including a torch-lit Blessing of the Crib procession on Sunday, and no fewer than 40 choirs singing under its branches between December 11 and 23.
