Inspiration

The Best Christmas Trees in the World

As we count down to December 25, it's worth a look at one of the holiday's most notable markers: the Christmas tree. And while big ones, small ones, short ones, tall ones, paper ones, and macaron-made ones can be found everywhere from Rio de Janeiro to Rome, here are the best Christmas trees in the world.
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  • Image may contain Architecture Building Tree Plant Urban Town Downtown City Ornament Christmas Tree and Housing
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    Palace Square, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Set against the backdrop of the baroque Winter Palace, the former official residence of Russian monarchs, this Christmas tree comprises green boughs attached to a wire frame. As the largest Christmas tree in the city, it's a site of many a pilgrimage during the winter months.

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    Plaza de la Constitución, Mexico City, Mexico

    The Zócalo is where many of Mexico City's celebrations (and protests) play out, so it's no surprise that the famed square should hold court during the holidays. Come December, this massive Christmas tree is illuminated with colorful ornaments, and surrounded by string-light mosaics on the surrounding buildings.

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    St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

    The Vatican Christmas Tree is placed every year in front of St. Peter’s Basilica to kick off the Christmas season in the Vatican City. The tradition of setting up a tree and nativity scene began in 1982 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. This year’s tree is illuminated by 18,000 LED lights and decorated with ornaments made by children from hospitals across Italy.

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    Galeries Lafayette, Paris, France

    Paris has no shortage of good angles, but the holiday display at the Galeries Lafayette is particularly noteworthy. This year, artist Lorenzo Papace made the 140-foot tree entirely of paper, in collaboration with paper manufacturer Arjowiggins.

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    Lagoa Floating Christmas Tree, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Upping the ante, the city of Rio de Janeiro each year sets their celebrations afloat—literally. The Lagoa stands some 280 feet in the air and has twice been included in the Guinness Book of Records since the event's inception in 1996 as the largest floating tree in the world.

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    Trafalgar Square, London, U.K.

    Chalk it up to world peace: Each year since 1947, the city of Oslo donates the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree—generally a 50- to 60-year-old spruce—to the people of Britain. The tree lighting takes place on the first Thursday of December, and is attended by thousands of people to kick off the holiday season.

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    Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan

    Leave it to Japan to pull out all the stops: In 2015, this tree took home the Guinness World Records designation for "most illuminated tree," with 534,280 lights. This year, things are even brighter—there are some 550,000 lights adorning 2016's structure.

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    Byblos, Lebanon

    Lebanon has a population that's 40 percent Christian, and the town of Byblos—which sits some 30 minutes north of Beirut—is known for its holiday celebrations. This year, fireworks marked the beginning of the festivities.

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    Rockefeller Center, New York, New York

    Nothing defines Christmas in New York quite like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The tree was first displayed in 1933 and its lighting has since become a national event, with thousands of people crowding the midtown sidewalks to catch a glimpse of the tree's unveiling. This year’s 94-foot Norway Spruce is topped with a Swarovski crystal star and decorated with more than 50,000 LED lights. (For reference, the 1993 tree had only 700 lights.)

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    Reichstag Building, Berlin, Germany

    As previously established, nobody does Christmas quite like Germany. But if you're in need of a break from all of the glühwein and markets, head to the Reichstag, a national landmark that houses the German Parliament, where this tree stands out for its beauty and simplicity.

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    Mount Ingino Christmas Tree, Gubbio, Umbria, Italy

    Looking for the biggest Christmas tree in the world? You can stop here. Each year, this 2,130-foot high tree is installed on the slopes of Mount Ingino, consisting of 3,000 multi-colored lights. (In 2014, it was even switched on remotely by Pope Francis.)

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    Strasbourg, Alsace, France

    Strasbourg, a fairytale-like town in the Alsace region of France, becomes even more magical during the holiday season. It is most well known for its Christmas market (Christkindelsmärik), which attracts several million visitors each year. The great Christmas Tree illuminated in the central square of Place Kléber is a stunning visual reminder of the season.