It is a winter morning in Oslo. The sky is a brilliant, cloudless blue and the air bites my cheeks. As the sun rises over the Norwegian capital, hundreds of schoolchildren in scarves and hats are walking through the Marka forest that surrounds the city.
I’m joining the children as they gather to wave off a huge pine tree that is beginning its journey to London for Christmas. We reach a clearing, where we warm our frozen hands and feet by log fires and sip skogskaffe — steaming forest coffee, poured out from big black pots.
We crane our necks to look up at the soaring tree that is about to come crashing down. It was picked out a year ago by the Norwegian authorities for its elegant trunk and lush, dark, Christmassy green colour. Our tree was then cared for and protected over the year, in preparation for its long journey west and south.
This is a time-honoured tradition for Norway. Every year since the Second World War, a tree has been sent as a gift of thanks for Britain’s support when the forces of Nazi Germany invaded.
The Mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang, and the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Duncan Sandys, begin the ceremony by sawing at the tree together. “For us it’s an honour to send a tree as we have for 63 years,” says Stang. “Hopefully there won’t be another war, but there will be many more Christmas trees.”
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Then the tranquil forest is filled with the noise of a chainsaw. The tree has stood on this spot for 80 years, but it takes just two minutes for it to be felled. Everyone gasps and cheers as a crane lifts it gently on to a lorry — safe in the knowledge that another tree will soon be growing where this one stood. It begins a week-long journey over land and sea to its final destination, Trafalgar Square in Central London.
Tonight at 6pm, thousands of people will gather as its twinkling lights are turned on. For Londoners, it means that Christmas is really on its way.