Why Norway Didn’t Defend Its Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree — and Won
- Marina 2Jour
- Dec 22, 2025
- 2 min read
It [the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree] looks like a depressing cactus.
Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide is well aware of the mockery surrounding the Christmas tree in London, which Norway has traditionally gifted since 1947. In a video that appeared online a few days ago, he calmly reads out several of these comments, then notes that the tree is a priceless gift and a tribute to a long-standing tradition.
“This,” he says, “is a thank you for what the UK did for Norway during the Second World War and for the investment in our partnership. And we are very proud of our Christmas tree and of our tradition.”
The haters are left disarmed, because the video uses several clear communication techniques:
Ironic reappropriation — mockery and insults are taken over and reframed by the source itself, stripping critics of their power.
Disarmament through calm — a steady, non-defensive tone lowers aggression and shifts the exchange from conflict to dialogue.
Moral anchor — a reminder of the historical context moves the focus from aesthetics to values.
Inversion of comparison — instead of competing with the “best Christmas trees in the world,” a different scale is introduced: meaning over visual spectacle.
Collective identification — the phrase “we love our Christmas tree” creates a sense of community and emotional solidarity.
In the comments under the video, there were only a few cautious attempts to suggest that the issue might not even be the tree itself, but the complete lack of decorations. These remarks were immediately countered with the argument that it is “Scandinavian style.” According to my research, Scandinavian decoration style is not necessarily about the absence of ornaments — it is more about minimalism and good taste. Either way, I still love the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree.
Happy Holidays!☃️🌲
