The National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony took place in Washington DC on Thursday evening, with the Obama family doing the honours. From the Norwegian spruce in London to the Lego tree in Melbourne, here’s a selection of the best.
Rakvere, Estonia
People visit a 12-metre high Christmas tree constructed of 121 old windows that come from local old houses as it is illuminated in Rakvere, Estonia.
Lisbon, Portugal
The tree in Rossio Square in Lisbon, Portugal.
Budapest, Hungary
A Christmas tree is lit up in front of the Basilica of St Stephen in Budapest, Hungary.
Washington
The Obama family, including Michelle’s mother Marian Robinson, and the actor Reese Witherspoon officiate at the tree lighting ceremony in Washington.
Melbourne, Australia
The tree in Melbourne, Australia, was constructed from over half a million Lego bricks.
Byblos, Lebanon
Byblos, north of Beirut in Lebanon, opted for an abstract gold tree.
Vilnius, Lithuania
Huge crowds turned out for the lighting of the national Christmas tree in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Rockefeller Center, New York
The lighting of the tree at the Rockefeller Center was a typically extravagant affair.
Trafalgar Square, London
The tree in Trafalgar Square, London, was reflected on the rainy pavement.
Canberra, Australia
People gather to look at the tree which was attempting to beat the Guinness World Record for most lights on a tree in Canberra, Australia. The 22-metre tree had over half a million lights.
Krakow, Poland
The tree at the Christmas market in Krakow, Poland.
US Capitol, Washington
The US Capitol Christmas tree in Washington is 74-feet high and comes from Alaska’s Chugach national forest.
This feature originally appeared in The Guardian.
