There’s no denying it any longer, Christmas is here. There’s no bigger sign than Christmas trees popping up all over the capital, and we went behind the scenes to find out what it takes to assemble one of London’s most iconic trees.
Earlier this week, an 11-metre high Christmas tree inspired by a traditional German Christmas pyramid has been erected inside St. Pancras International. The wooden structure was assembled on the station concourse in a single night using a slot-and-peg system that functions like a massive jigsaw puzzle. That’s pretty impressive, if you ask me.
Created by Plunge Creations in collaboration with the German National Tourist Office, the installation replaces the standard pine with a tiered wooden pyramid.
Tim Simpson, creative director at Plunge Creations, explained that the design takes a traditional German ornament and scales it up to fit the vast proportions of the transport hub. The theme specifically highlights destinations that passengers can reach by travelling from the station.
The team packs all the components at their workshop, transports them by truck to the concourse, and builds the structure on the ground. A crane is then used to lift the successive tiers into position, a process Tim likens to assembling a giant wedding cake.
Planning for the Christmas tree reveal
It might surprise you to learn that planning for the St. Pancras tree begins as early as January.
This year’s pyramid design incorporates specific references to 16 different regions of Germany. Visitors walking around the carousel-style base can look through lit windows and interact with sliding panels to read facts and history associated with specific German locations.
The St. Pancras tree has become a regular fixture of the city’s winter installations, with previous years nodding to Wicked and a beautiful toy box.
The logistics of the overnight build mean the entire structure goes from flat-packed plywood to a towering, illuminated centrepiece ready for commuters the very next morning. It’s a real team effort, and it certainly makes the city feel a little more festive, so it’s worth a visit, not just if you’re catching a train from the station.
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