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When it comes to christmas tree decorating the latest fad is the upside-down christmas tree. Is there any good reason besides the fact that it is a really hot xmas trend that you should actually buy one of these? First of all it may help a bit to look a bit at the history of the upside down xmas tree. That might help you decide if this type of christmas tree is for you.
The upside-down christmas tree comes from the pagan tradition of spreading evergreen boughs across the floors, windows and hearth in order to keep evil spirits from invading the home. This tradition was celebrated by cultures as diverse as the Celts, the Romans and the Vikings long before the time of Christ.
You have to remember that Christianity did not really take off in central Europe until twelve centuries past the birth of Christ. As it was noted that the evergreen contained the three points of the Holy Trinity, it was brought indoors and hung upside down. This was a way of playing it safe for most central Europeans who liked to mix their pagan rituals with their Christian rituals. Not only did the upside down xmas tree offer protection from evil spirits, but it also acknowledged the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. All of this was put to an end when religious zealots in the 16th century Germany proclaimed that the upside down xmas tree was sacrilegious. Religious officials ordered that the tips of christmas trees stop pointing to hell and instead be turned right side up so they pointed to heaven.
Since the 16th century we hadn’t heard a heck of a lot about upside-down christmas tree decorating until they were marketed as store display units to retailers a couple of years ago. The reason for their revival had to do with common sense. The upside-down christmas tree that is bolted to the ceiling simply left more space for retail displays and more room to display christmas tree decorations. It also offered less of a chance of a liability lawsuit should a stumbling shopper trip over it. It wasn’t long before the general public started demanding the upside-down christmas tree as a novelty item.
This past christmas the prestigious Hammacher Schlemmer holiday supply company (which has been in business over 150 years) could not keep their seven-foot tall pre-lit upside-down christmas tree in stock. It costs $600 U.S. with a lifetime guarantee. This should give you an idea of how popular this latest trend in christmas tree decorating has become.
This might be because there are definitely some benefits to using and upside down tree when it comes to christmas tree decorating. For one thing it keeps your precious glass ornaments away from the prying fingers of children. It also keeps pets and toddlers from accidentally tipping the tree over. Another benefit is that it also allows you to pile more presents under the tree (of course keeping in mind that “under the tree” is now “under” the top of the tip of the tree and its decorative topper.)
Another benefit is that the upside-down christmas tree is quite practical. They are bolted to the ceiling, which means they take up no floor space, so it’s great for smaller apartments and smaller rooms. It can be positioned in tight corners and other places that do not accommodate a tree with traditional Christmas decorations.
The upside-down christmas tree can also be hung in places where you could not consider having a tree before. In fact many people simply hang the tree over their dining room table the same way you would a chandelier. Also it is much easier to see the christmas tree decorations and ornaments on an upside-down Christmas tree because they dangle down from the branches and do not visually disappear into the tree foliage. Many of them come prelit, which gets rid of the necessity of wrapping the tree in lights.
So just how are these upside-down christmas trees attached to the ceiling? They are bolted to a base that is screwed into the ceiling. If you are just into this for the novelty of it and the idea of a whole christmas tree and dangling christmas tree decorations dangling over your head makes you nervous then you can also buy models that have a base on the floor that supports an upside down artificial tree.
As upside down christmas trees are a very new thing, there is some debate as to which types of christmas tree decorations look best on it. For instance some people like the look of clumps of tinsel hanging like clumps of hair downwards from the ceiling whereas others find the effect to be too cluttered or messy looking. In you are of the latter opinion then you might want to stick with trailing cotton batten which is more like spider webs and does not fall as easily off the tree.
As you don’t want any ornaments falling down and smashing on the floor or God forbid, on somebody’s head you need to take extra care about fastening your christmas tree decorations securely to the tree. This is also true of christmas garlands, lights and the christmas tree topper. Remember to also fasten everything securely to the tree with some kind of wire as well as the usual fishline!
A drawback to buying an upside-down christmas tree is that after you remove it, you might have a bit of a plastering job to attend to thanks to the nuts and bolts that hold the base secure. This is why many people opt to hang it where a light fixture is usually hung. Then after the holiday season is over, they simply replace the light fixture to hide any marks left from the bolting of the tree to the ceiling.
Another consideration is that it is difficult to predecorate these upside-down christmas trees. Many of them need to be hung quite high to avoid them from scraping the tops of people’s heads. This means getting up on a ladder or a table to attach christmas tree decorations to the tree so this is definitely not the kind of tree that is best for an elderly individual or someone who is afraid of heights.
However the upside-down christmas tree is ideal for the individual who already has everything (think Paris Hiliton!) or who enjoys being different and the center of attention.
