For twenty years, Hordaland County Council has gifted a Christmas Tree to the City of Edinburgh. The Lighting Ceremony is now part of Capital Christmas and will take place on Thursday 22nd November.
As a tradition, Hordaland County Council gives a Christmas Tree to the City of Edinburgh every year. Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances, there will not be a Norwegian Christmas Tree in Edinburgh this year. Instead, Hordaland County Council will pay for a Scottish tree to be cut down and transported to the Mound in Edinburgh.
The Lighting Ceremony will, however, go ahead as usual and take place in Lower East Princes Street Gardens on Thursday 22nd November at 6.00pm (gathering at 5.15pm), by the Ice Rink, in the presence of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, the Deputy Convener of Hordaland County Council, and the Norwegian Consul General.
The Christmas Tree on the Mound is the County of Hordaland's gift in gratitude for the Scottish help and friendship during the Second World War.
The Tree has come to symbolise the warm and close relationship between the people of Scotland and the people of Norway.