Traditional gift of tree spruces up Granite City

Aberdeen’s Christmas tree arrived in the Granite City yesterday at the end of its 312-mile journey across the North Sea from Norway.

The gift from the people of Stavanger has been a fixture in the north-east’s winter festivities calendar since 2005.

It had been feared last year’s tree would be the last sent from the Scandinavian city for up to 20 years after it ran out of suitable spruces.

However, a worthy tree was found and felled – allowing the beloved tradition to continue.

This year’s 35ft Norwegian spruce arrived yesterday morning aboard the 6,693-tonne SeaCargo Express, and was then lifted on to a flat bed lorry.

The spruce will remain in quarantine at Aberdeen harbour before it takes pride of place at the Castlegate on Monday.

Once its festive decorations have been added, Aberdeen Lord Provost George Adam will lead a lighting-up ceremony on Thursday, November 26 at 7pm.

The event will be one of the first of many making up this year’s Winter Festival across the city.

Christmas arrived officially in Aberdeen yesterday. After a 312-mile journey, the city’s tree is now sitting at the harbour, waiting for forestry experts to inspect it.

Once they have given it the seal of approval, it will be taken to its final home in the Castlegate and the festive season will truly begin . . .

The tree from Stavanger arrives at the harbour