Friday, December 27, 2013

Upside Down Christmas Trees

One of the great things about any holiday season
is that it invites people to indulge their creativity.
I particularly like that aspect of holidays; from New Year's Day
to New Year's Eve, there's always some reason to decorate.

But I was quite surprised to stumble upon a trend 
that has been going on for a couple of years now: 
the upside down Christmas tree.
Upside down Christmas trees are, by some accounts, an 11th-century custom.
Small evergreens were hung upside down from rafters
because the triangular shape was said to symbolize the Holy Trinity.
You know what they say: everything old is new again.
But today's upside down Christmas trees are likely more spectacular
than upside down trees of yore.

Some erupt from table tops:

Others stand from the floor:

Others stand on table tops, 
but look like they're hanging from the ceiling:

This one really does hang from the ceiling:

www.christmastreescirencester.co.uk

Besides to shock, I'm not sure of this recent attraction
unless it is that the upside down position makes the ornaments more visible.
It's also a good way to keep the dog from laying on the Christmas tree skirt.
But in general, an upside down tree looks to me like an evergreen tornado
is about to cut a swath across the living room. 

 I suppose that in a holiday season overdone with sentimentality and commercialism, 
people were bound to look for something new, something more wow.
Is the trend naughty or nice? 
I guess everyone will have to decide that for themselves.
From my perspective, nice enough,
but naught for me.
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