I'm all for live, green, piney-smelling needle-dropping Christmas trees myself, but if you're not then this Flatpack Christmas Tree might be an interesting option. I'm not sure what kind of home decor this sort of tree would look best in -- I'm thinking something contemporary, but it's awfully plain and unexciting looking. And how do you decorate it? I have to say I think it makes one ugly Christmas tree, but as a general decor item it could be really cool. Available from Büro North in 3 sizes ranging from 1' to 7.5' it may be eco-friendly but that doesn't mean it's cheap: $1414 for the full-sized version.
Steve Quick Jeweler becomes the latest company to create a diamond Christmas tree. The Quick tree is made of five pounds of solid 18K gold (which is reclaimed gold) with diamond-briolette ornaments and a layer of 200 carats of diamonds that form a glittering dusting of snow. The tree is topped with a 4.52 carat stone set in a platinum star. Steve Quick Jewelers estimates the tree at being valued over $500,000 (making it cheaper than the $1.8 million tree we saw recently). The tree is being unveiled at the Steve Quick store in Chicago on December 7th and will be on display in the store throughout the season. Starting on December 17th the tree will be auctioned off on eBay with 100% of the profits going to the American Cancer Society.
If the tree is too expensive for your budget you could pick up mini versions of the tree in sterling silver or gold-plated for $25 or in 14K gold for $195.
Matthew Buechner of Thames Glass in Newport, Rhode Island has been a glassblower for over 20 years. At Thames Glass he designs all the prototypes and trains a team glassmakers in the art of handcrafted glass. This gift box ornament is just one of the beautiful and delicate ornaments that comes out of the Thames Glass studio. This ruby ornament with gold leaf sells for $44.
Previous years have brought a variety of Christmas tree trends including the black Christmas tree and the upside-down Christmas tree. Now meet the upside-down wall tree. This four-foot tree from Hammacher Schlemmer can be suspended on the upper part of walls or in a ceiling corner. The tree's tips are made of PVC, and it is pre-strung with bright white commercial lights rated for 3,000 hours of operation. The inverted shape lets the ornaments hang away from the needles. It attaches to a ceiling using its built-in hooks. It sells for $139.95.
For just about every holiday the Takashimaya department store in Tokyo comes up with something lavishly excessive. For Christmas the Japanese department store is offering a Christmas tree with 400 diamonds. The tree doesn't look like any traditional tannenbaum, it is a small tower of preserved roses with 100 carats of diamonds from southern Africa and Australia. The tree sells for 200.7 million yen (around $1.8 million) and comes with the matching little red teddy bear. The tree is based on a design by Parisian flower boutique Claude Quinquaud and looks to contain bracelets, earrings, and butterfly pins as well as a necklace on the teddy bear.
Halloween is still a few days away but the Christmas ornaments are already out. This one is the Swarovski's 2007 Annual Edition ornament. The snowflake-like crystal piece on a blue satin ribbon has detailed facets that duplicate the Swarovski star that will sit on top of the Rockefeller Center holiday tree. Swarovski will donate $250,000 from sales of this ornament to the Starlight Stabright Children's Foundation, a national, non-profit, charitable organization that is dedicated to making a world of difference for seriously ill children and their families. The ornament sells for $70.
In the spirit of the season, designer Tord Boontje has come up with the Xmas Light. Shaped like a Christmas tree, it is made up of a mass of bright white stars and snowflakes. The shade, which looks quite like it is made of paper snowflakes, is tear, temperature and water resistant, as well as reflective enough to allow a good amount of light through it to light up a room while also retaining a bright glow within the "tree" itself. It measures 18-in. across and 30-in. high. Price: $85.
Instead of going all-out with Christmas decorations, it's nice to just have a couple little touches around the house to give things a festive atmosphere. Spode has a lovely line of Christmas Tree plates and tableware, but their coaster set is a piece that really works well as a stand-alone item. The set includes four coasters and a stand with a 3D Christmas tree that, of course, matches the coasters' design. Best of all, the seasonal set is only $25.
The wish ornament from Red Envelope is a cute way to create a new tradition. The ornament, which is available in polished brass or silverplate engraved with the word "wishes." The interior is red enamel and says "do come true." The ornament has a magnetic closure and comes with strips of paper to write your wishes on. It could also be used to hold a small sparkly bauble inside. The wish ornament sells for $30.
In the spirit of the season, designer Tord Boontje has come up with the 
