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Copenhagen Christmas tree lit for 100th time

The Local Denmark
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Copenhagen Christmas tree lit for 100th time
The 24-metre-tall tree sits in Copenhagen's City Hall Square. Photo: Simon Skipper/Scanpix

Not even the impending arrival of Gorm the Storm could stop Copenhageners from turning out for their annual Christmas tree lighting tradition.

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Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen and Crown Princess Mary lit the annual Copenhagen Christmas tree at City Hall Square on Monday. 
 
The occasion marked the 100th year for the annual tradition. To mark the milestone, the tree was decorated with 100 Christmas hearts, while 800 lights will add some much needed colour to the dark Copenhagen winter. 
 
 
The 24-metre-high and 60-year-old tree was cut down in the north Zealand forest Gribskov, which is Denmark’s oldest and fourth largest forest.
 
Jensen was subjected to some ribbing for his seeming inability to count down from ten to give Princess Mary the cue to flip the light switch. 
 
“8, 9, 10, 6,” he began before (mostly) catching himself. 
 
“We’ll just start over. 9, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, now,” the mayor said, almost getting it right the second time.
 
Copenhagen’s Christmas tree was lit amid warnings that Storm Gorm was on its way to Denmark. The storm brought hurricane-strength winds throughout the country and 
 
 
Other towns weren’t so lucky. Video news service Local Eyes reported that the Christmas trees in Græsted and Helginge were toppled by the storm while the one in Gribskov was broken, while the tree in Gilleleje was “very crooked” after Gorm blew through. 
 
Aarhus’s Christmas tree was also reportedly toppled by the storm. 
 
Click through on the photo to see more from Sunday's ceremony:
 
Copenhagen's Christmas tree. Photo: Simon Skipper/Scanpix
Copenhagen's Christmas tree. Photo: Simon Skipper/Scanpix
 
 
 

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