OK, true confession time. Do any of you go whole hog at Christmas and decorate with one of those 50's aluminum trees? How about one of those rotating color wheel lights that sits on the floor and shines alternating colors on the tree? Traditional versus MCM at Christmas. Which way do you lean?
Aluminum tree confessions
I bought an aluminum Christmas tree and hated it. Good design cultivates for me a sense of domestic stability, benevolence and optimism. Bad design depresses me. It reeks of despair and doom. When I bought the aluminum tree, I thought it would be fun--but once assembled it was just tacky kitsch...something you'd see in Pete Cambell's apartment. My trees now are always green and live.
I like aluminum trees....
...in theory. But I don't think I can ever put one up in our home.
We have always had a real tree decorated with ornaments that I've collected or received as gifts over the years, plus stuff the kids made when they were little.
One year I tried something different---used a lot of vintage glass balls (which I love) and then filled in with the traditional stuff. Even that was too impersonal! So it's back to our real stuff.
A friend
A close friend has an aluminum tree - complete with colorwheel. It's not my style, but I have to say I love the kitsch value of his. It goes in the front and center window of his ground floor apartment and the alien glow of the color wheel constantly causes pedestrians to stop.
The branches are a little too fragile to hold any ornaments - but the tree looks quite spectacular lit up like a disco ball!
I've used an aluminum tree...
I've used an aluminum tree with colored balls and a color wheel for several years. It was a gift from my parents. Since last year I have been using a real tree though, due to the new wife. She doesn't dig the silver one. I actually used it for sentimental reasons.
I like my aluminum tree.
Vintage. Easy-up. Kinda funny.
Looks great on a pedestal table.
I tend to get a bit cynical over the holidays with
all the useless spending so it has become our tradition
to laugh a little when the box comes out. The color-wheel lights
look great in the clerestories.
It is a sad sight driving through NYC after new years. All the dead
trees piled up on the sidewalks.
I know they are grown to be cut, but the land and the growers
talents could be put to better use.
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