On Saturday a 60 feet high Christmas tree will arrive at The Mound to light up the city centre.
The spruce is being provided by Conifox Christmas Trees promoting the shop local theme this Christmas. The company wants to encourage everyone in Edinburgh to source their own tree locally too. Usually our city centre tree comes from Hordaland in Norway.
When the tree arrived in 2017, the Lord provost explained the history behind the gift. He said: “The tree is gifted to the city by Hordaland County Council to mark the assistance provided by the Scots to Norway during WWII. Upon the fall of Norway in 1940, more than 7,000 exiles were based in Scotland as the Norwegian Brigade, fighting to free their country. The help and support they received from the Scots has never been forgotten.”
Conifox Adventure Park director, James Gammell, will be there to witness the yearly event: “From its origins in 1949 when the traditional gifted tree came from Scandinavia, through to 2008 and beyond when it’s been sourced directly from Scotland, the tree on The Mound has always been the starting beacon for Christmas in the capital.
“Seeing the community come together to marvel at the thousands of twinkling lights on a spruce that has united Scotland and Norway for over 70 years, is incredibly heart-warming. Although this year we will all be celebrating Christmas a little differently, we will still feel at home when we look up and see this symbol that is the spirit of Christmas.”
Edinburgh based company Bernard Hunter Cranes and Field and Lawn Christmas lights and city dressing, are both involved in erecting and decorating the Sitka Spruce, which was sourced from a forest in Kintyre. Although grown in Scotland and supplied by Conifox Christmas Trees, the tree continues to be a gift from the citizens of Hordaland to mark the help given by the Scots to Norway during WWII.
Gammell adds: “As always we will be offering a little magic at Conifox Adventure Park, with our annual Christmas tree market, where we will have hundreds of beautiful firs ready to take home and enjoy. Remember to stop by and pick yours after your trip through our Christmas Drive-Thru Experience.”
Available from late November 4-14ft Nordmann Firs, Norway Spruces and Fraser Firs will be stocked and displayed at Conifox Adventure Park ready to be netted and taken away, or delivered in Edinburgh, South Queensferry, West Lothian and more. Potted Christmas trees and wreaths are also available, with commercial venues able to take advantage of this local supplier, bagging themselves a Christmas tree up to a 60ft. Email us christmastrees@conifox.co.uk or Tel. 0131 333 2288
Find out about visiting Conifox here. www.conifox.co.uk
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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