Picea abies outside of its native range, and one of the most economically important coniferous species in Europe. It is used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. It is also widely planted for use as a Christmas tree. Every Christmas, the Norwegian capital city, Oslo, provides the cities of London (the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree), Edinburgh and Washington D.C. with a Norway spruce, which is placed at the most central square of each city. This is mainly a sign of gratitude for the aid these countries gave during the Second World War. In North America, Norway spruce is widely planted,
Christmas tree true meaning of Christmas." The Catholic Church's official "Book of Blessings" has a service for the blessing of the Christmas tree in a home. The Episcopal Church in "The Anglican Family Prayer Book", which has the imprimatur of The Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam of the Anglican Communion, has long had a ritual titled "Blessing of a Christmas Tree", as well as "Blessing of a Crèche", for use in the church and the home. "Chrismon trees" are a variety developed in 1957 by a Lutheran laywoman in Virginia, as a specifically religious version appropriate for a church's Christmas celebrations, although