{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5e7936fa0967e18a3a036684/6173e234f62eb8001373f9f9?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Norwegian Spruce: Our Viking Christmas Tree; aka ‘The Return of the Native’","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/5e7936fa0967e18a3a036684/1638962161097-7e75936c4c6d76fac518251a0fa10269.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p><strong>BONUS EPISODE:</strong> For Christmas, David Oakes explores the cultural importance of the non-native Christmas Tree, the Norwegian Spruce <em>(Picea abies)</em>. Although native to our shores before the most recent Ice Age, it took Vikings from Scandanavia, Princes from Saxe-Coburg, Violinists from Italy and Horses from Aintree to truly root the Norwegian Spruce into our National identity - and that's not to mention any British Christmas rituals.</p>","author_name":"David Oakes"}