Oh Christmas Tree… November 30, 2007

Last year, the must-have festive accessory was the stark black Christmas tree. But this year it’s something even more radical. A few months ago, I can remember reading a magazine article which talked about the popularity of upside-down Christmas trees in America. This must be a joke, I thought! Aside from the fact that upside down trees are visually strange and somewhat unsettling, the idea just didn’t seem practical. Aren’t you supposed to stand the trunk/roots of a Xmas tree in a bucket of water to prevent the needles dropping prematurely? And most importantly, where does the fairy/star go?? So I dismissed the idea as something gimicky and unlikely to catch on. How wrong I was! Dear old John Lewis (who I have always relied upon for their taste and common sense) have this ludicrous tree – shown left – for sale at £75. And they’re not the only ones. B&Q are also selling them. According to an article in the Daily Mail, shops in Australia have been stocking these trees and ahem…they haven’t exactly been flying off the shelves! I’m open to innovation and modernity in the home, but in my opinion you can’t beat a traditional Christmas (and yes, a tree that stands the right way up!)