I love the idea of the ladder tree. Easy to put up and easy to take down, on a whim.

Don't get me wrong, holiday decorating with cookies in the oven and carols playing is lovely and I miss it but as a busy New Yorker in a small space, sometimes all the pre and post Christmas preparations are overwhelming.

The vase one is pretty ... it reminds me of the tradition of hanging painted and/or decoupaged eggs on a vase full of pussywillows for Easter in Eastern Europe

I love the ladder idea; I have one and might try something like that. I also have that blue vase; very appealing. Traditional Christmas trees are just so clunky and tacky to me; this is a terrific alternative.

i love the wool-wrapped branch featured in this month's domino, highlighting scandinavian ornaments. it's perfectly lovely and just the right size for those of us with only a few, hand-selected ornaments.

I like these unique ideas a lot, but I really don't think you can call traditional christmas trees tacky. Geez. Talk about needing some real Christmas spirit. (And for the record, I myself don't have a tratitional tree anymore for various reasons, yet I love and miss them)

Ridge - I said I find them tacky; I hardly expect others to agree. Is "to each their own" an unheard of idea to you? And whining about "needing Christmas spirit", again, what floats your boat doesn't float mine. You are don't get to dictate what others find appealing, or not.

I hardly dictated what others find appealing, etc. If you had said you just don't like Christmas trees ... no big deal. Plenty of people don't. (As I said, I don't really have one anymore, myself, not because I don't like them, but just because I feel I've outgrown the tradition.) However, "tacky" is an obnoxious word to use for something that is a beloved symbol of something very important for millions of people ... just because it's not your cup of tea.

Just imagine if you'd called menorahs tacky ... do you think you wouldn't have offended anyone by that?

Incidentally, I stand by the Christmas spirit comment ... point being that everyone should find beauty in how others celebrate the season (or not). I would never ever put a ladder up in my apartment as a Christmas decoration, however I applaud someone who finds this method as their own personal way to brighten up their space for the holidays.

I am staying miles away from a Christmas decoration argument, but in fairness I must say; some menorahs ARE tacky.

The one I built in fifth grade out of lucite? Tacky.

The holidays are beautiful, the time with family is beautiful, the decorations themselves run the gamut.

love the ladder christmas tree
built in access for mounting the star

the scale is wonderful
the doorway puts the ladder in perspectie

I love things to be presented in a new way that works

I love the ladder!
It says, Christmas is about having fun.

Would my kids and dh get that message? Unfortunately, no.
So, the tacky tired out tree it will be.
Ho.
ho.
ho.

The ladder would be really awesome in a store ... especially if it's in a big old industrial loft space.

I've been Christmas tree free for 22 years now because I'm a cat owner and it just seemed fruitless to tempt the little buggers beyond their control. But I must say I LOVE the ladder idea! Not that it would be any different for the cats -- they can still destroy the stuff on the tree -- but if I were catless, I'd try the ladder thing. Very creative.

cool! especially the ladder

Julie, i'm curious about what's behind yr clever ornament tree...
a batik/tie die quilt? tiles?

tess jr,

It is actually just a piece of batik fabric (purchased at somewhere like Joann fabrics) stretched on an artist's canvas frame. I now look at this phot and kind of think "eeek" because I moved the fabric panel to visually simplify the area (while it has the "Christmas tree") and in real time it is much less chaotic.

-julie

Dear Julie, I never realized you were allergic to pine trees. Clever idea. Stu

thanks Julie...
sometimes i love breaking the "2-3 colors per room, in general" guideline which i usually follow, but can't resisit some things or rooms with tons of colors, expecially fabric.

next year i want to trade in the small pink tinsel tree (in the red, pink + brown kitchen) for a rosemary tree for xmas
and a kumquat or orange tree for the new year.