Upminster Methodist Church, in the east London Borough of Havering, holds its annual Christmas tree festival from Saturday 30 November to Sunday 8 December 2024, with any proceeds being donated to Saint Francis Hospice in Romford.  The theme of the festival was ‘The Great Outdoors’.

29 trees were decorated, mainly with handmade adornments, and visitors were invited to attach messages in memory of dead relatives and friends on a larger ‘memorial’ or ‘thanksgiving’ tree.  People were also invited to vote for their favourite tree.

A leaflet listing the trees’ decorators and sponsors contained a number of ‘facts’ about Christmas, including:

‘The first ever Christmas tree wasn’t a tree at all, it was in fact made of dyed goose feathers and came from Germany.

Riga in Latvia was the home to the first decorated Christmas tree in 1510.

The tradition of putting tangerines [Citrus reticulata] in stockings on Christmas Eve came from 12th century French nuns who left socks filled with tangerines, nuts and fruit at the houses of the poor.  …

The world’s tallest Christmas tree was 221ft high and was displayed in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.’

Photographs taken Tuesday 3 December 2024.