Upside down trees and Christmas firs cut in half: Introducing the most extreme tree trends of 2019
From black trees to wooden ones and even trees without leaves, every year someone tries to shake up tradition by reinventing the Christmas tree.
And many of us are more than happy to jump on board the latest trend, keen to swap the usual Nordmann Fir with a unique talking point instead.
This year, many households are opting for the parasol tree with Argos reporting a 5900% increase in the number of orders for their model over the past year.
At its simplest, the parasol is a small version of a traditional Christmas tree with an elongated trunk. It’s a great choice for families with cats or toddlers as the lack of low branches means fewer broken baubles. Many retailers offer it in green, frosted or even pre-lit.
Elsewhere, other tree-styles are capturing the imagination. Over at John Lewis & Partners, Assistant Christmas Buyer Mandy Rush says something more full-bodied is in vogue; she’s noticed “a change in trends for sweeping branches that fall to the ground to create a full Christmas look.” Rush adds that the John Lewis’ Sanctuary Spruce Christmas Tree is the one John Lewis customers are opting for this year.
With so many incarnations of the humble Christmas tree to choose from, which will you go for this year?
1. Half Christmas Tree
Anyone who’s limited on space will love the half Christmas tree, which can be found in Christmas Tree World (£39.99) and Longacres (£64.99). It stands snug to the wall which means you can still have the illusion of an extravagant tree at half the size. No more wasting baubles at the back where people can’t see them, either…
2. The Upside Down Tree
The show-stopping upside down tree, found on Amazon (£79.99) and White Stores (£119.99) was made famous by Karl Lagerfeld when he brought it to Claridge’s in 2017.
Perfect for festive rule-breakers, it means you can have a tree as big as you like without having to compromise on floor space. Quite what you do about the tree topper though, we don’t know...
3. The Black Tree
A black Christmas tree, such as this one from Amazon (£38.99), is the ultimate conversation starter. It was one of Instagram’s top ranking tree styles in 2018, and offers a firm break from tradition. Try dressing it in neon for ultimate wow.
4. Starburst Tree
Starburst Christmas trees have a heavy focus on LEDs. Just like this one from UK Christmas World (£99), Starbursts have lights sprouting from every branch, and won’t need any more decorating.
5. The Wooden Tree
A carpet covered in pine needles isn’t to everyone’s taste, which is where wooden trees come in, like these made of Oak by A+B Furniture (£169) and Natural Wood Company (From £95). This is the stylish no-fuss alternative interior design aficionados have been waiting for. And, since they aren’t plastic, they’re probably better for the environment too.
6. The Sticker Tree
Nutmeg Wall Stickers (£38) offers a snow-laden tree, along with 12 hooks to hang your lights and decorations on. Perfect for people who want in on some festive action, but don’t have room for the real thing. Kids will love it in their bedrooms, too.
For more Christmas features and gift guides, see www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas
All the products mentioned in this article are selected independently by our journalists. The Telegraph makes money by adding affiliate links to some of the products.
