There are many reasons that we choose not to have the traditional holiday tree – maybe you don’t want to deal with the disposal of a tree after the holidays. Maybe you don’t feel a need to cut down a tree and spend weeks sweeping needles off the floor. Maybe you just don’t have the room. The good news is there are many ways to bring a holiday ‘tree’ into your home that won’t shed needles or require too much assembly (or un-assembly) when the time comes.
Wrapping Paper Tree
This one has been around for a while and can vary from easy to more difficult to make, depending on how large you want your tree to be. These are a great use of left-over wrapping paper and can be made in perfect colors to match your holiday décor. I’m adding a couple of links to some crafty variations.
Stacking Christmas Tree
This tree can be made from anything that stacks. Christmas presents can be stacked in a tree shape. Books can be used as well. For table-top trees try stacking colorful old Christmas cards, random pieces of typed paper or sheet music, or pieces of felt or other material. I have seen trees made from stacked egg cartons, pieces of wood pallets, and in one crazy dorm room, they had stacked pizza boxes (from super large pizza boxes on the bottom to single-serve size on the top – it was very inventive!).
Bookshelf tree
Make holiday use of your ordinary bookshelf by turning it into a holiday bookshelf tree! If you would like to make the colors uniform, purchase some craft paper, and create your own dust covers for the books - you can make your book tree any color you would like!
Ladder Christmas Tree
This is a favorite of those who love to DIY. Grab your ladder, place it where you want your ‘tree’, and go to town with the decorations! If you string lights around the ladder you can use the light strings to hang ornaments on. Or wrap twine around the ladder, use pinecones and dried orange slices for a rustic look. It’s the easiest Christmas tree ever!
Poinsettia Tree
One of the prettiest ‘alternative’ tree ideas I have seen is the Poinsettia tree. I lived in Chicago for eight years and in the building I worked in downtown, they would set up a huge stand in the lobby (15 – 20 ft high), and potted Poinsettias would go in each of the attached pots. If you don’t have the luxury of 50 ft ceilings or a 20 ft stand, here are a couple of alternative ideas. First, you can take just a few Poinsettias and plant them into a decorative container. Poinsettias are an evergreen plant, so you can have this lovely bloom in your home even after the holidays have passed. Click here for easy care tips. Another idea for a Poinsettia tree is to cut the blooms and place them into a florist vial. You can then place the blooming vials into florists foam, decorative bowls, or vases, or use double-sided tape and make a poinsettia wall tree!
The tradition of decorating a home with plants for a holiday goes back long before the advent of Christianity. People have always held plants and trees that remain green all year in high regard and believed that these magical plants and trees would ward off evil spirits. A holiday tree can be made from anything as long as it’s meaningful to you and your family.
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