The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting in 2014 combined a simple display of white lights with a ceremony about remembrance and friendship. I filmed the evening from beside the stage, with the Salvation Army band nearby and St Martin-in-the-Fields across the square.
Originally published on 6 December 2014, this longer Roberts London film preserves the speeches, switch-on, music and children’s reading. The ceremony explains why the tree meant much more than another Christmas decoration.
Before the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting
The film begins before the tree is illuminated. The National Gallery stands behind it, with the square’s fountains, crowds and surrounding buildings setting the scene. In the introduction I describe a freezing evening, but one that had still drawn a large gathering.
I also explain why I wanted to show the ceremony at length. Compared with the brighter displays on Oxford Street and Regent Street, the tree looked restrained and elegant. Its significance lay in the story behind it, and the speeches gave that story space.
The band and choir prepare
From the side of the stage, the film looks towards the Salvation Army band. In the commentary I point out the choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields on the other side, linking the church visible in the background with the evening’s music.
The programme brought together official addresses, musical performances and a reading by schoolchildren. Rather than cutting straight to the switch-on, the film lets the preparations and opening music establish the atmosphere.
A gift remembered in the speeches
The Lord Mayor of Westminster’s address introduces the tree as a gift from Oslo, continuing a tradition that began in 1947. The speech recalls a visit to see the tree in the forest and thanks the people responsible for bringing it safely to London.
The Norwegian ambassador then speaks about the close relationship between the two countries. The speeches connect the annual gift with British support during the Second World War and the refuge that London provided for Norway’s king and elected government.
Oslo’s message of friendship
The governing mayor of Oslo develops that theme, presenting the tree as a symbol of gratitude and shared history. The address remembers the war and the sacrifices made, while looking towards the continuing friendship between the people of Norway and Britain.
Evergreen branches and light become symbols within the speech: constancy, faithfulness and hope during darker times. The article summarises the address, while the original film below preserves it in the context of the ceremony.
The tree lights up
After the address from Oslo, the tree is illuminated. White lights trace its height above the crowd, changing the view across the square. The restrained decoration that I described at the start becomes the centre of the evening.
The ceremony then continues with a Norwegian tenor and saxophonist, followed by further thanks to those involved. The music and the speeches keep the focus on the relationship represented by the gift, rather than treating the lights as a standalone spectacle.
A children’s reading and the closing programme
Three children from St Mary of the Angels School in Westminster are invited to read a poem about decorating a Christmas tree. The reading imagines a tree filled with familiar objects and memories, bringing a personal note into the formal programme.
The national anthems of Britain and Norway follow. The gathering is then invited to join the closing carol, O Come All Ye Faithful. The band remains in view beneath the lit tree as the evening moves towards its conclusion.
A final view across Trafalgar Square
After the formal farewell, the film returns to the wider square and the illuminated tree against the National Gallery. It is a fitting end to a ceremony that began with an unlit tree and explained the meaning carried by its arrival in London.
This is a record of the 2014 occasion. For another evening from that Christmas, see the Blessing of the Crib procession from St Martin-in-the-Fields. The full tree-lighting film remains available below.
