You wouldn’t think a Christmas tree could be controversial. Well, that’s what I thought before Sunday - but now I know different.

After Southend’s tree was installed at Victoria Circus that Sunday morning, social media was soon buzzing with comments about why on earth a Christmas tree had popped up before the witches, werewolves, ghosts and ghouls had even had their fun on Halloween?

It’s a fair enough question, but the Christmas tree has traditionally been installed on that weekend for the past 13 years, so the latest tree’s arrival hasn’t really been a change from the norm. It’s installed then to allow plenty of time before the Big Lights Switch On event on November 17.

It is also perhaps worth pointing out that the suppliers of our tree and light displays also install for towns, cities and corporate clients across the UK, which means we are allocated a slot within their very busy schedule and our own light-testing schedules.

This year’s tree – a beautiful Norwegian Spruce, kindly sponsored by Stambridge Security - is very special indeed. At 46-foot, it is Southend’s biggest ever Christmas tree, as previous examples generally topped-out between 30 and 40 foot. It also forms the centrepiece of our new festive lighting scheme. It is decorated with 6,000 gold and silver LED ‘pea’ lights with 100 baubles.

Alison Dewey