Spectacular Christmas tree lighting

The world's most famous Christmas trees

From traditional to modern – here you will find the world's most beautiful Christmas trees.

Photo: Unsplash
November 2022
The peak season for Christmas trees and decorations all over the world will soon be upon us, which means that from north to south, the annual competition to boast the most expensive and spectacular tree of all will be as heated as ever.
The traditional White house Christmas tree.
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The National Christmas Tree at the White House

The White House

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1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington
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There’s no shortage of Christmas trees at the White House. As well as the official White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room, there are often more than 30 other Christmas trees on Capitol Hill. The National Christmas Tree outside the White House is accessible to everyone, though, and is lit each year by the presidential family.

The Norwegian tree in Trafalgar Square
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The Norwegian tree in Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

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Trafalgar Square
London
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Christmas is a time for giving, and, appropriately, the huge tree in Trafalgar Square in London is a gift from Norway, which has donated one every year since 1947 as a token of gratitude for British support during World War II. The tree is a Norway spruce and is usually more than 20m tall, over 60 years old and decorated with 500 lights.

The traditional Christmas tree lights up the square Rådhuspladsen in Copenhagen.
Photo: Christian Alsing

The Christmas tree at Rådhuspladsen and the decorations at Hotel D’Angleterre

Rådhuspladsen

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Rådhuspladsen 1
Copenhagen
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Copenhageners flock to see the lights switched on on the 20m-tall Christmas tree at Rådhuspladsen on the last Sunday in November. Another attraction is the unveiling of the decorations at the luxury five-star Hotel D’Angleterre at Kongens Nytorv that takes place mid-November and gets the Christmas spirit going in the Danish capital.

The majestic Vatican Christmas tree
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Vatican Christmas Tree

Piazza San Pietro

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Piazza San Pietro
The Vatican
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Pope John Paul II first introduced a Christmas tree in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome in 1982, and since then various European countries have donated one every year. Last year’s tree came from Italy and was 25m high, and was decorated with ceramic ornaments made by children with cancer.

The Christmas tree at Galeries Lafayette
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The tallest indoor Christmas tree

Galeries Lafayette

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40 Bd Haussmann
Paris
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The 20m-tall tree at this luxury shopping paradise in Paris is the tallest indoor Christmas tree in the world. It’s made of metal and stands under the gallery’s beautiful dome, where each year it’s dressed with new decorations.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
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The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Center

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45 Rockefeller Plaza
New York City
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The legendary tree at the Rockefeller Plaza in New York is almost 30m high, has around 45,000 multi-colored LED lights and is topped with a star containing 25,000 Swarovski crystals.

Text by Lise Hannibal