When and why did colorful Christmas trees start becoming all the rage and popular?

[design_mom]

I think it's a "what's old becomes new again" kind of thing. My family has had an artificial tree for as long as I've been alive. (The story goes that my mom wanted a real tree when she and dad first got married. Dad was against it becuase they are a fire hazard. Mom said 'only if you don't water it' so Dad agreed to it as long as Mom took care of it. Mom insists she took meticulous care of that tree... but the day after Christmas, they drug it out to the garden and Dad threw one match on it... and the thing went up like a fire ball. Mom said "OK you're right... no more real trees.") Although it was green, the artifical tree we had growing up did not look very natural. I think the tinsel trees of the 50s-70s were an attempt to kind of embrace it. "It's not a real tree. We know it doesn't look natural and that's OK."

Then, as artifical trees started looking better in the late 20th century, more people went to those and the tinsel trees went out of style, but now they're back, just for the fun of it. Our main tree is a realistic looking green tree. But I have a small tinsel table-top tree for the living room.

 

[_19disnA]

Then, as artificial trees started looking better in the late 20th century, more people went to those and the tinsel trees went out of style, but now they're back, just for the fun of it.

I agree, think there is some nostalgia associated with those shiny aluminum trees some remember their parents had when growing up. Cheap green artificial trees used to look like a bunch of toilet bowl brushes and not very appealing. Over the years they have improved to look way more natural and at a reasonable price.

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

My tree is black with black ornaments. It’s a vibe.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I have a white tree and a green flocked tree. I love the look of the flocked trees so much, but man they are messy. Then my two main trees are traditional green. I've considered getting a colored tree (either pink or teal), but I really don't need any more trees lol.

 

[Magical2017]

I remember seeing colorful Christmas trees in the 70s. I have always preferred green but love the variety and seeing how each person decorates. I can't wait to decorate our tree later this month.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I remember some relatives in the 70s still holding onto their colored artificial trees from the 60s. Someone had pink and another had silver. Personally, I would love a cobalt blue tree, but my family says no and the one I really like is more than I want to spend.

 

[barkley]

I've never personally seen a silver/white/blue/pink one in anybody's home

it was a sight to behold-a sparkling silver tree set atop the avacado green carpet, adjacent to the burnt orange sofa and harvest gold drapes, all of which alternated via the color wheel into shades of red, yellow, blue and green. my mom's bf would put hers in front of the wall in her living room that was covered in mirror squares so the whole room reflected and the colors could be seen from the street (the neighborhood kids would snicker and make rude comments when the whole room glowed in red ).

 

[ronandannette]

it was a sight to behold-a sparkling silver tree set atop the avacado green carpet, adjacent to the burnt orange sofa and harvest gold drapes, all of which alternated via the color wheel into shades of red, yellow, blue and green. my mom's bf would put hers in front of the wall in her living room that was covered in mirror squares so the whole room reflected and the colors could be seen from the street (the neighborhood kids would snicker and make rude comments when the whole room glowed in red ).

Can't top that, but about 20 years ago, when those colour-changing, glowing LED trees came out, my DMom had one of the first. It was an abomination, but she adored it. Our kids all used to tease her about "disco Christmas at Granny's".

 

[barkley]

Can't top that, but about 20 years ago, when those colour-changing, glowing LED trees came out, my DMom had one of the first. It was an abomination, but she adored it. Our kids all used to tease her about "disco Christmas at Granny's".

love it!

just yesterday as dh and i passed a home with extensive lighting we remarked about the owners probably were not old enough to remember when one burned out light killed the entire string-and the hours it could take to track that one bulb down

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

in the 60's i remember my mom being so proud of her silver christmas tree-it did'nt revolve but she had one of those rotating color discs that was aimed at the tree to make it change colors (red/yellow/blue/green). from what i remember not many people had the life like looking green trees-they were very expensive.

My Grandparents ( they were pretty cool, I just didn't realize it then) had one in their home. NO ONE else that I knew did!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I love the themed trees at Universal (photo stolen from the web).



In general I think the themed / coordinated trees look so snazzy.

But I prefer a natural colored tree in my home, and we cover it with a wide variety of ornaments. Sometimes I do themed sections.

My Harry Potter section from last year. Note that the bank intentionally gets that color light so it can be Greengotts.

 

[luvthatduke]

in the 60's i remember my mom being so proud of her silver christmas tree-it did'nt revolve but she had one of those rotating color discs that was aimed at the tree to make it change colors (red/yellow/blue/green). from what i remember not many people had the life like looking green trees-they were very expensive.

Like others have mentioned, my Grandparents had the silver tree w/color wheel.
PopPop also had his train running around underneath, and his Hess truck collection gathered 'round.

 

[ncc1701]

1960 called…. They want their trees back! No kidding I remember a neighbor had a revolving, silver tree with red ornaments. Truly a sight to behold

I remember going to various Christmas stores with multiple colored artificial tree in the 60s . Not to mention the "snow" flecked ones.

 

[dreamer17555]

We have three trees, a silver iridescent one that we fill up with Disney ornaments, a rainbow tree for all of the handmade ornaments that the kids made, and a green tree with red and green decorations. All of them full sized large trees.

They are totally different styles, and I love it

 

[DodgerGirl]

The very first artificial Christmas tree my family had we bought it at Woolworth and we also bought a star tree topper for it. Before then when I was a little girl my dad used to win live Christmas trees from a radio station and my dad and uncle would set it up and when Christmas was over my uncle would put the tree outside in the garbage can but it was our first Christmas tree ever. My mom had always liked white Christmas trees and since we bought the one from Lowes Mom always wanted to make the tree extra pretty. I still have that tree but the lights no longer work on it

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have a white tree for the basement (it's more or less green with "snow" on it). I got it after Christmas last year, I am excited to get that out and use it.

I absolutely love those old school silver tinsel trees. My grandmother had one of those.

 

[mjkacmom]

Drove past a large tree farm yesterday, some were different colors.

 

[cabanafrau]

My tree is black with black ornaments. It’s a vibe.

I'm curious how that would look. Can't wrap my brain around it.

 

[john7994]

My tree is black with black ornaments. It’s a vibe.

Love the idea of it -

 

[Evinrude21]

I remember multi colored trees in the 90s

We just have a green tree but we put one in each room with the largest one being in the "living room"

We also do a halloween tree