Newspaper Page Text
Odd Christmas trees take a stand this season
By Kathy Van Mullekom KRT)
Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)
Strange sells — even when it comes to the
time-honored Christmas tree.
The dare-to-be-different Christmas tree used
to be the silver metal one with a revolving light
that cast rainbows of color across its shiny tin
sel-like branches.
Then along came fiber-optic trees with their
high-tech color wheels for continuously chang¬
ing hues.
Today, it’s the upside-down tree, which is
actually a resurgence of a 12th-century tradition
from Central Europe.
A tree that hangs so the tip points toward the
floor is only one of numerous unique trees debut¬
at
shops where
fads catch on
quicker
than
y o u i
can say 1
41 Up the
chimney he
rose. ’5
Call
them specialty
trees spiral,
upside-down
and one-sided.
There’s even a
H canopy tree" that fea
tures branches on the
upper half of the tree display so ***^|
you save space and
yo.ur favorite ornaments for
eye-level viewing.
At ChristmasTree
Land.co.uk, you'll find
decorator colors available ''733
in artificial trees pink, old
gold, blue-green, copper and
black. Lavender is one of several
colors in pre-lit artificial trees at
Hechts.com.
a The popularity of specialty
trees is increasing dramatically,” says 1
Bill Quinn, owner of Christmas Tree for
Me, an online site with any kind of tree -
you can hope to find.
Even so, he admits, specialty trees have a
way to go because people just can’t let go
of their traditional one with a star on
top and mountains of gifts below. ■
Basically, upside-down trees are
among the third, fourth, even fifth trees
you find in homes that go for over-the-top
decorating.
There’s no better
time of the year
to say thank you.
During the holiday season,
we at Regions Bank want
to extend to all our
customers the very best
wishes for peace, health
and prosperity. And we
want to thank you for
continuing to rely on
Regions for all your
banking needs. We look
forward to serving you in
the coming year - and for
years to come. Learn more
at 1-800-REGIONS,
www.regions.com or your
local branch.
Dawsonville
706-265-2300
Cumming Main Office
770-887-1031
Midway
770-781-2460
Coal Mountain
1 770-781-2450
Johns Creek
770-781-3100
“The new holiday home has secondary trees
for great rooms and informal living rooms with
smaller trees in each kid’s room,” says
Quinn,
You’ll also find upside-down trees thrpugh
Hammacher Schlemmer, which has had trouble
stocking its 7-foot-tall model priced at $599 and
equipped with 800 commercial-grade lights,
They are sold out with no more expected this
year. Look for the tree to return next holiday.
Not to be outdone, Target.com also sells the
tree that puts people on their heads trying to
determine if the tree is actually a standard tree
just flipped upside down.
No, it’s not, says Quinn.
4* It is specially constructed to work upside
down,” he explains. “If you turned a regular tree
branches would
fold like an
umbrella. M
% H p Target’s
Kfc 7-foot tree
costs $399
jfcjf and ships
in five to
Big* seven days. It
’*** comes pre-lit
with 460 lights
and instructions for
hanging it on the
wall.
Even upside
mr*% down trees come in
different styles. Some
P PP have metal stands
attached to the pointed tip
so you sit the tree on the
floor. Others come
PWW* is equipped used with dangle a hook the that
to tree
from the ceiling like a large
WT hanging plant; the tree weighs
about 40 pounds. That way you
& can display the tree between two
chairs or as a decorative chande¬
lier in a foyer. All that’s missing is
the can of spackling to repair the
ceiling.
What’s next in off-the-wall trees?
Quinn, 40, says he has some ideas but
nothing he will talk about now. He’s
planning to design and produce his own
line of specialty trees.
14 We see a huge gap in what
^ people suppliers want and what providing, our cur
rent are
he says.
Maybe a virtual reality tree that you
you see?
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - Sunday, Decembw 4,2005
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Photo/Newport News Daily Press
Seven-and-a-half foot tall Sierra Spiral Tree, a prelit artificial Christmas tree, is just
one of many odd home decorations popular this season. Left, Hammacher
Schlemmer sold out of its 7-foot upside-down tree model.
Regions A &M
BANK
PAGE 5B