The Most Wonderful Christmas Tree?

Last night, Alexis and I took the boys into town to catch a glimpse of all the Christmas decorations lighting up the city and to visit the big Christmas tree in Gamla Stan.  We have admired this big tree last year from a far, but this was the first time we took the opportunity to really go see it...and boy were we surprised.

The Gamla Stan Christmas tree is proudly labeled the most wonderful Christmas tree in the world...more beautiful and spectacular than even the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in NYC.  I guess we might have been a little naive to think the tree was "real" though...

Well, what we learned from our little visit is that the most wonderful Christmas tree in the world is actually put together each year from a giant tree trunk that was preserved a long time ago from Uppland Sweden.  Into this trunk, they place branches from many many spruce trees, carefully selected to give the tree it's beautiful, perfectly symmetric look.

Want to see a view from underneath?

Crazy, isn't it?

Well you decide...is it the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world?

Me and the boys under the tree...

Now I'm curious...is the tree at Rockefeller a real tree after all?