Ten Christmas Tree Alternatives

Christmas Tree alternatives are on the rise. Whether it's a lack of space or the thought of an evergreen really doesn't make your Christmas merry, here are Christmas Tree alternatives for any budget.

Ah, the Christmas Tree. Charlie Brown looked past the necessity and into the meaning of Christmas through his pathetic pine. The Grinch was famous for when he "stuffed the tree up", and of course almost every Christmas special on television from Rudolph to A Christmas Story has a special Christmas Tree involved somewhere in the background. With the holidays just around the corner, many people are opting for Christmas Tree alternatives this year, rather than dust off the fifty-two branch special for a night of assembly (is this row blue or red?) or donning coat and boots to visit the local Christmas Tree farm.

Whether affordability is an issue, or if you are a bachelor without the space, there are many reasons to opt out of the Christmas Tree tradition. No one knows exactly how the tradition of lit evergreens became Christmas necessity, but many have traced the celebrated pine, fir, or cedar back to our pegan roots. Of course, the religious history of the Christmas tree comes from the German story of St. Boniface, who in anger cut down an oak where pegans were worshipping and a fir tree sprung up in its place. For years, it was German tradition to have a thin Christmas Tree similar to the one Charlie Brown cherished and decorate it with small candles like the ones we put on a birthday cake. Historic fire hazards don't end there, as it's also historic tradition to burn a candle all night for the Christ Child. Of course, the tradition of a Christmas Tree did not become widespread until the trend-setting 19th century royal couple Prince Albert and Queen Victoria adorned Windsor castle with a Christmas Tree one year to combat the Prince's homesick longing for a Christmas like his childhood. Here are some Christmas Tree alternatives:

1. Poinsettas or Plants - Festive poinsettas are one of the more popular Christmas Tree Alternatives. When decorated with holiday picks or bows, they can give a house a merry look. Since plants can vary in size from very small ivy to larger, branching evergreen-like floor plants, there are so many options for these Christmas Tree Alternatives. Some can even be adorned with very tiny ornaments if you are looking for a similar tradition to the Christmas Tree without the fuss.

2. The "bare" Tree - Using the bare limb of an oak or maple can be quite decorative Christmas Tree Alternatives when potted properly. Be sure to fill your base container with something heavy to keep the tree properly positioned and use a piece of florist's foam to maintain a good position. You can then hang ornaments in the branches for a very ornate, clean, and hassle-free look.

3. Wreaths - Wreaths come in all shapes and sizes from evergreen sold at most Christmas Tree farms to realistic artificial ones or grapevine ones sold in craft stores. Just add ornaments and these Christmas Tree Alternatives are sure to add festivity without taking up too much space.

4. Villages - If you just don't like the look of a Christmas Tree, opt for a holiday village as one of the most detail-intense Christmas Tree Alternatives on this ten-list. Christmas Villages require a lot of collecting and customization, but there are so many pieces sold in a variety of businesses out there. Holiday villages can include skaters, lit houses, characters, shops, trains, and anything else you can think of.

5. Light Lines - If you love Christmas ornaments, consider hanging lights around the perimeter of your family room a few inches from the top of the walls using sturdy U hooks to hold the strands as Christmas Tree Alternatives. Then, hang your favorite ornaments around the room near the ceiling. It will turn the entire room into your Christmas tree, and like the other Christmas Tree Alternatives, it is not very expensive to do. Just be sure to read all the safety warnings for the light sets. For even more festive glamour, hang a garland slightly below the lights.

6. Window Wowing - Picture windows and large mirrors make great Christmas Tree alternatives when suction cups and ornaments are added. In addition, very lightweight ornaments can be taped, or a garland can be run along a window and ornaments draped across the pane.

7. Wire or brush Structures - Chicken wire, creativity, and a dream can make an interesting holiday centerpiece. Just construct your Christmas Tree Alternatives and add ornaments and lights. Voila - is it art or holiday cheer? Another option is to decorate bundles of twigs tied festively in the middle with wire to keep it secure and then a bright red bow. Live in the desert? Try a tumbleweed for festive humor.

8. Graduated Hors d'ovres Tray - This one is so cute! Take stacking plates like a tiered dessert tray and carefully stack round ornaments on each tier, filling each plate until the trays are stuffed full. Using a crystal set of tiers looks even more expensive. This is one of those Christmas Tree Alternatives that looks very chic and designer-inspired.

9. Boxed In - This is one of those Christmas Tree alternatives people want to try at least once. Take four or five SQUARE boxes of assorted sizes. Wrap them like gifts complete with ribbons but not bows. Put a huge bow on the smallest. Stack them graduated from largest (on the bottom) to smallest. With a craft knife, cut several small 2 x 2 "windows" in various locations and punch a small hole over these "windows". Hang ornaments so they hang down in each of the windows.

10. The Cone - Christmas Tree alternatives can be crafty. Buy a large styrofoam cone and cover it in green tinsel garland from the bottom to the top. Then, using hat pins, attach charms, tiny ornaments, sequins, or other holiday decorations onto the cone. It's one of the easiest Christmas Tree alternatives on the list, but it is also one of the most festive.

Whether you use one of these Christmas Tree Alternatives or you decide to cave and buy a tree, may this holiday season be merry and bright! Happy Holidays!