Anyone else remember the artificial silver Christmas trees?

[Marion]

My Grandparents had a silver tree (we called it a tinsel tree) when I was growing up...actually it was the only tree they ever had. Was a lovely 4 foot monstrosity with no colour wheel (never heard of such a thing until it was mentioned on the Dis).

Everytime I see the Charlie Brown Christmas special with the boys going out to the tree lot with the metal trees I think of the tinsel tree. After my Grandfather passed away I sold it to an antique shop for $35....it was gone almost immediately! I thought it hideous but I'm glad it found a loving home.

 

[Regina]

We had one too. One year my Mom decorated it with all blue balls, another year she used these wierd purply colored balls.

I was so jealous of my best friends real tree, even though it always looked like a Charlie Brown special.

 

[grinningghost]

God yes. They were horrible. Especially the ones that looked like they were made of silver aluminum foil. And those 4 color things were big back in the day. They were one of those things that you tried to play with and shine on the walls or on people and you got yelled at. Yes, those were the gaudy old days!

 

[Boots]

My cousins had one and I used to think it was so pretty. The color wheel went from red, green, and blue-I think. In fact the color wheels on the fiber optic trees kind of make me think of those old color wheels in looks.

 

[Robinrs]

We had one!! I don't remember thinking it was ugly or pretty, all I knew was it represented my favorite time of year!

I saw on a HGTV special that these are now collectors items... whodathunkit?

 

[crazywig]

we had one when i was small, colorwheel and all.

also, my grandmother had one that spun around, played music and SNOWED!!!! i am not joking, the 'snow' would come out the top of the tree....i'm not sure of the mechanics though...

 

[brerrabbit]

My wife kept her grandmothers and looked for a couple of years for the color wheel to go with it. It's a second tree she puts in the game room. After finding the antique color wheel for $65 at a local shop she just could not bring her self to buy it. (thank goodness) One day she saw the light (modern version) in a Harriet Carter cataloge for $25 and ordered it for Christmas.

 

[goofygirl]

its called an ALUMINUM xmas tree!


My mom's friend still has one. She recently saw one like it on ebay selling for $300!

 

[TinkerPixie]

We had one when I was growing up.... My Mom loved that thing! She still had it in storage until a couple of years ago. We tossed the whole box in the trash when we cleaned out the shed. It was still wrapped in those brown paper sleeves that the limbs were stored in. I wish I had it now....

Who would have thought those things would come back? We sell a brand new one where I work, for about $300.

 

[Marion]

DANG goofygirl! And I was happy with $35 Shoulda held out for more.....

 

[JulesMom]

Oh yes, we had one, too!

I loved the turning color wheel!

I can't wait to see it again at 50's Prime Time!

 

[Dodie]

Click here for over 300 results from an eBAY search on "aluminum Christmas tree."

 

[DisOrBust]

We moved 8y ago and in the process I thru out my Dhs grandmothers tree and color wheel. @ yrs later he looking all ove rthe basement for it until I told him I had tossed it because when were we ever going touse it. I was read the riot act and never completely forgiven until last year when I bought one on ebay. Did I kick myself for throwing it out!! I could of sold it on ebay,lol!!

 

[JerseyJanice]

My aunt and uncle had one back when they were first popular.

I remember asking why it was silver instead of green like most trees, and my aunt told me that it was silver because it was supposed to be covered with snow. Yeah, right.

 

[4cruisin]

We had one during the 60's that my grandmother gave us, complete with color wheel. I would love to have one today, just to bring back some great memories. My mom also had the cardboard fireplace, in fact, when she passed away last year, I made my poor dh dismantle it so I could store it. I do not have the heart to throw it away. My mom absolutely loved that thing!!

 

[Cindy B]

We had a cardboard fireplace in our house in Trenton... If I was posting literate, I would post our stockings on it...

I actually looked at a house two months ago, and they didn't have a cardboard one, but it was a portable one, and it had heat coming out of in...

 

[Pooh93]

I would love to have one today, just to bring back some great memories.

Me too. My mom had a silver one with blue ball ornaments. I wish I had it now.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Hi Jill.. I am not sure if I answered this before.. but I have two of these trees from the 50's and the revolving reflector light.. I bought them at an antique store and put them up at Christmas..I bought my daughters one also...they love it...they are very collectible...

 

[catsrule]

yes. we never had one though.

 

[JESW]

Just wanted to add something to my own post....

We were watching Nightmare Before Christmas tonight and I noticed something funny. During the part when Jack is giving out the presents, he gives a snake to a house that has a silver tree complete with the 4 color rotating wheel! Maybe Tim Burton was having flashbacks from his childhood! The snake ended up eating the tree...

Thought that was funny to see after posting this question the other day...

Jill