The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in 2015 was the starting point for Vlogmas Day 13. I came to see Norway’s gift to London after the switch-on celebrations, with time to look at the lights and the message at its base. Afterwards, I crossed to St Martin-in-the-Fields and went downstairs to the Café in the Crypt.
This film was published on 13 December 2015. The square, café and personal impressions shown belong to that visit.
Trafalgar Square Christmas tree: a gift from Oslo
The story behind the tree gives it a meaning beyond the lights. Oslo has sent a Christmas tree to London each year since 1947, in gratitude for Britain’s support during the Second World War. The Norwegian royal family and government spent the occupation years in exile in Britain. The annual gift became a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.
The British Embassy’s account of the tradition explains that background. Here in the square, it was also set out on the plaque beneath the branches — a reminder of why this particular tree has a place in London’s Christmas.
An evening beneath the lights
I had filmed the lighting ceremony the previous year. For this visit, I wanted to come later and take a more relaxed look around. The tree stood against the dark sky, with its strings of lights running down the branches. Nearby, the illuminated fountain added colour to the square.
People gathered around the base while the familiar buildings framed the scene. The decorations were simple, but the setting gave them scale. Looking from different sides of the square brought the tree, fountain and church into different combinations.
At the base, branches partly covered the plaque. I stopped to read its explanation of Oslo’s gift and the tradition’s start in 1947. There was also a poem displayed around the tree. Together, the words and lights made this a place to pause, rather than just a photograph to take on the way somewhere else.
Across to St Martin-in-the-Fields
After the tree, I crossed the road to St Martin-in-the-Fields. The next part of the visit was below street level: the church’s crypt. I had shown it in an earlier vlog and wanted to return for viewers who had not seen it.
I took the lift down, enjoying the slightly theatrical feeling of a button marked for the crypt. The change of setting was striking. Outside were traffic, open sky and the bright square; downstairs were brick arches, stonework and tables beneath the vaults.
Inside the Café in the Crypt
The café was laid out for self-service on this visit. I walked through the space, showing the tables, lighting and vaulted ceiling. In the film, I described it as a welcoming place for a break and spoke warmly about the value I had found there.
What stayed with me was the mix of an everyday café and a historic interior. The old memorial stones and carved details were part of the surroundings, while people sat at tables beneath the brickwork. It felt very different from the busy streets just above.
For the return to street level, I chose the stairs. It made a small, energetic ending to an evening that had moved from one of London’s most visible Christmas landmarks to a quieter space beneath a neighbouring church.
Watch the original Christmas visit
The full film follows the tree, its plaque and the walk through the crypt, with my original December 2015 commentary.
