On London's German Christmas Trees and Markets

Christmas Trees outside London offices

Christmas trees were first introduced to Britain from Germany. Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert recreated the Christmas trees of his childhood at Windsor Castle. A drawing of the decorated tree featured in Illustrated London News in 1848.

There was no looking back. The Victorians copied the Royal Family and decorated trees in their homes too. The German custom became a British one.

Christmas Tree outside Houses of Parliament

While there is no doubt that the custom came to Britain from Germany, both Latvia and Estonia claim to be the origin of the first Christmas tree. Some sources suggest that the first Christmas tree appeared in both Riga and Tallinn in 1510. Accounts passed down through oral history means that we may never be able to determine the exact truth.

Northern Europe is undoubtedly the origin of the Christmas tree. It was Germany that spread its decoration customs throughout the world. 

Decorated Christmas Tree at Somerset House

Although Christmas trees are associated with the Christian festival today, their origins are in pagan celebrations of the Winter Solstice.

Christmas in Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is at London’s heart. It is central to British democracy and the right to freedom of expression. In 2015, it witnessed British solidarity with the French over the tragic events in Paris. 

Norway's 2015 Christmas Tree Gift in Trafalgar Square

Every year the people of Norway give a Christmas tree to the people of Britain in recognition of British support for their nation during the Second World War. It is therefore fitting that this annual gift is displayed in Trafalgar Square. This year’s tree appears in the photo above.

There are also numerous brightly-lit Christmas trees throughout the capital.

It is not just the German Christmas tree tradition that Britain has taken to heart. The number of German Christmas markets seem to increase throughout the capital and the rest of the United Kingdom with every passing year. 

German Christmas Market Banner on London's South Bank

Winter Wonderland is a fabulous annual Christmas market in Hyde Park. 

 

Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland Christmas Market

This year, I visited the German Christmas market outside the Tate Modern on the South Bank. One stall there even had a Christmas tree on top.

Tree on top of German Christmas Market

Outside or inside, real or artificial, big or small… Christmas today is unthinkable without the custom brought to Britain by a German Prince. 

Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas!

Where is the best decorated Christmas tree that you have seen this year?

Brazilian Dance Spectacle

The Brazilians are well-known for worldwide for their colourful and exuberant carnivals and parties. Giving a Brazilian flavour to a family celebration evening seemed the perfect recipe. We celebrated in style by attending Baila Brazil at the Royal Festival Hall.

On Saturday 15th August the Balé de Rua dance company staged their final performance in London. Oh yes, it was loud, colourful, energetic and exuberant. The show was as The Scotsman described:

"Stunning. If only, I'd had a sixth star at my disposal."

Baila Brazil has travelled the world since it opened in Sydney, Australia. Over 500,000 performances in 13 cities later, it was London's turn. The company has come a long way. Born of an art project in the favelas, its dancers were discovered at the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon in 2002. Today's professional dancers all trained in the project's free schools.

I was somewhat nonplussed at the beginning. A troupe of male dancers dressed as women was totally unexpected. For the majority of the evening, they were more scantily clad than the two women. That made a pleasant change.

The dancing was simply amazing. I didn't realise that the human body could even bend in such ways - let alone dance in them.

Alexia Falcão Lopes had a great voice. She kept going throughout the noisy, unrelenting show without showing any strain in her voice. She even sang centre-stage without flinching as acrobatics were performed about her ears.

The range of dancing was incredible. I particularly enjoyed the breakdancing. I don't remember seeing a show before in which so much was danced upside down. The head-spinning on a raised platform was breathtaking.

A number of cultural influences seemed to be at play in the dances. The slavery scenes were particularly powerful. They stood out for their change of tone and pace.

I lost track of how many encores there were. The performers didn't want to stop singing and dancing. They still had energy and enthusiasm to burn. They came out into the audience to dance. We all clapped and sang along as invited.

The drummers were brilliant. You could feel the rhythm pulsating through the floor,  your feet, ears and even in your heart during the show.

We could still feel the Brazilian beat and energy, as we spilled out smiling into a warm summer evening on London's South Bank.

Just can't wait for the opening ceremonies of the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. We'd all better start preparing our superlatives for the spectacles to come.

 

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