The sound-reactive lights adorning Tech City’s alternative Christmas tree will be switched on tomorrow.

The tree, which is a present from the city of Oslo, boasts its own Skype account so people from around the world can dial in good will messages and jingles.

The tree is a mark of the growing creative and commercial links between the Norwegian city and Hackney.

Fresh from delivering London’s traditional Christmas Tree to Trafalgar Square today, Oslo’s Deputy Mayor Hallstein Braaten Bjercke will visit Hackney tomorrow to click start the alternative tech-themed seasonal celebration.

The event takes place on the top of BL-NK, 37 East Road, Shoreditch on Friday December 6.

A Hack-a-Tree challenge at 11.30am will challenge the creative and tech community to “hack” an alternative Christmas tree, using alternative materials.

The winning tree will be “lit” by the deputy mayor at 3pm, and will stand as a symbol of the creative friendship for the rest of December.

At 7pm there will be an “Oslo style” electro-tech party.

For a free ticket go to http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oslo-meets-hackney-tickets-9222441571.