The Christmas tree is looking fabulous. It’s decorated and there are numerous presents underneath (think as if it were December 25 if you have kids) just waiting to be ripped open on Christmas Day. Here are some facts about our Christmas trees which you might find interesting.

Your natural six to seven-foot tree sitting in your living room takes on average 10 years to grow. It would have been pruned along the way to ensure it has the Christmas tree shape. For every tree cut down, farmers also tend to plant at least two more seedlings.

People tend to put either an angel or a star on top of the tree. The star represents Jesus’ birth and its role in guiding the three wise men to his birthplace, whereas an angel represents Angel Gabriel who told Mary and Joseph about the upcoming birth of Jesus.

Finally, the Christmas tree that appears in Trafalgar Square is a gift from Oslo, Norway. Every year since 1947, Norway has gifted London with a 50-60-year-old tree as a thank you for England supporting Norway in WWII. In return, we decorate the tree in Norwegian style, with strings of light descending from top to bottom.

Finally, Christmas trees can be recycled. Not all will be turned to mulch, some can be buried again and encouraged to grow whereas others can be used to prevent soil erosion or sunk in a waterbody to provide a habitat for wildlife.