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The Aluminum Christmas tree. Love it or hate it? Now with Color Wheels!!! |
suzywong
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 22, 2003
Posts: 161
From: New Orleans Upper 9th ward
|  Posted: 2005-12-21 8:28 pm Permalink
I believe I posted on this topic? LOVE THEM
My grandparents aluminum tree I posted a picture of,somewhere around here, was yet another katrina victim.
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hiltiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2004
Posts: 2771
From: Reseda, calif.
| Posted: 2006-11-27 7:43 pm Permalink
Hey everyone, I thought I would bring this out. Any new pictures? It's a good time to remember....
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kikekeki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 13, 2006
Posts: 356
From: the River of Grass in FlourDough
| Posted: 2006-11-28 09:16 am Permalink
Aloha!
Happy to see this thread with so many aluminum/aluminium tree lovers!
I have maybe thirty--yes, 30  (does that qualify as an aluminum forest?)...with and without colorwheels, etc.
Don't ask, it's a sickness  . And no, I don't put them all up at the same time  ...I have paid no more than $20 but have gotten some for free. Now that I have a vintage shop I will decorate with a few--if I can avoid palpitations/cold sweat when people get too close or try to touch. Will try to post some photos...
Happy Holidays!
K.
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Rum Demon
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Joined: Jun 20, 2005
Posts: 254
From: Portland, Oregon
| Posted: 2006-11-29 10:14 pm Permalink
We have one!
Last year I confessed to Katie that I really liked aluminum xmas trees. I was expecting her to respond with disgust, but no!! She lit up like a... a... a watch. Long story short, we went and got ourselves one. This weekend we'll set the thing up. I'll take a pic and share it here. YAY!!
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JackLord
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 18, 2006
Posts: 144
From: Washington, DC
| Posted: 2006-12-01 12:05 pm Permalink
I have come full circle.
When I was a kid, we always grabbed a live Christmas tree and that continues. But my grandparents had the classic aluminum tree with the color wheel.
Now, I recall thinking it rather tacky. But as with many things, the years pass and its memory takes on a bit of glamor. I think them very cool now. So much so, that I procured one off of eBay along with a brand new color wheel.
I will be putting up this weekend after procuring the obligatory buzz.
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Urban Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 18, 2004
Posts: 527
From: The Tropical Isle of Manhattan
| Posted: 2006-12-05 08:56 am Permalink
Absolutely love it. Had one when I was a kid and it's really a nastalgia thing for me, and I think they fall into that "so tacky, they're cool" category. I was fprtunate enough to get the exact make and model tree that I had on Ebay about 5 years ago, before the price started to go through the roof. I got mine for $150, including the colorwheel, and it's in perfect shape and includes the box and sleeves.
I'll have to post a picture when I get the chance.
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Unkle John
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Joined: Oct 22, 2003
Posts: 1216
From: Middle-of-the-Ocean, TX
| Posted: 2007-11-21 6:55 pm Permalink
Want to buy Aluminum (PVC) Tree with light for $30 brand new?
http://www.abcdistributing.com/home/catalog/cat_item_pg3.asp?G=462&P=78&Rec=2&Ntt=retro&N=35&Nao=0&R=12947
We got ours in the mail today and with a few minor adjustments to the pole, it's going to set up great! I was going to post about it when we found and ordered it, but I forgot we did that until it arrived today. But none the less, this is a great deal for someone like us who are on a budget, or someone who hasn't had the luck at getting an antique tree.
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[ This Message was edited by: Unkle John 2007-11-21 19:02 ]
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Shipwreckjoey
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 29, 2002
Posts: 1794
From: San Diego, CA
| Posted: 2007-12-01 7:03 pm Permalink
Damn! I've been looking around for something like this for the past 3 years. I refuse to pay big bucks ($200.00+) for a "antique" tree. I just wanna have fun...not start a f*ckin' museum. Good call Unkle J.
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Unkle John
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 22, 2003
Posts: 1216
From: Middle-of-the-Ocean, TX
| Posted: 2007-12-03 08:27 am Permalink
No Problemo Joey!
Hope you get yours before they sell out. We had to modify ours due to the tree pole being painted after the holes were drilled, other than that we are 100% satisfied. Even the color wheel is great, it's a lot quieter than the one from the Harriet Carter catalog. Hey don't laugh, they still carry vintage items!
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Suffering Bastard of Stumptown
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 09, 2005
Posts: 648
From: PDX
| Posted: 2007-12-06 09:55 am Permalink
here's one of our two aluminum trees.
This one is our formal tree. We will have photos of our "fun" tree soon.
[there is a color wheel off to the left]
..sb
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The Gnomon
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: May 01, 2007
Posts: 1276
From: MD-DC-VA
| Posted: 2007-12-06 1:02 pm Permalink
Aluminum trees are pagan friendly.
This might seem surprising being that pagans are so close to Nature. So what's the attraction to fake trees?
It is a sacrilege in paganism to cut down a tree simply for entertainment purposes. Pagans decorate their living trees. To pagans, sacrificing trees do not honor them. Aluminum trees are tree art that does not involve unnecessarily destroying a tree.
The tradition of decorating trees at Yuletide is a pagan one that predates Christianity. As part of the pagan celebration of Yule, communities would select special trees to honor. They would decorate them and gather at those trees where they would conduct Yuletide ceremonies. The ceremonies mainly centered around blessing their orchards to weather the winter well so that the trees would return in the springtime to start a bountiful growing season. Spiritually powerful trees (such as oaks and evergreens) were usually selected.
BTW, Yule occurs on Dec 22 this year. So go out into the forest and drag in a fallen oak that will burn for about 12 days (origin of the 12 days of Christmas, except the tradition is pagan). That is known as a Yule log and as you might imagine it was Party Central. Shove the trunk end of the tree into the fireplace and then keep pushing it in as it burns. The Yule log gets lit at Yuletide (the hibernal solstice) and, ideally, it lasts for the entire festival (into the new year). If the solstice lands on the 20th of December, then a 12-day log will last until the 1st of January.
I should do a pagan traditions thing like I did a Samhain (Halloween). There's the significance of mistletoe, holly, gift giving, Santa Claus, and other things that have pagan origins.
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Unkle John
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 22, 2003
Posts: 1216
From: Middle-of-the-Ocean, TX
| Posted: 2007-12-06 1:39 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-12-06 13:02, The Gnomon wrote:
Aluminum trees are pagan friendly.
This might seem surprising being that pagans are so close to Nature. So what's the attraction to fake trees?
It is a sacrilege in paganism to cut down a tree simply for entertainment purposes. Pagans decorate their living trees. To pagans, sacrificing trees do not honor them. Aluminum trees are tree art that does not involve unnecessarily destroying a tree.
The tradition of decorating trees at Yuletide is a pagan one that predates Christianity. As part of the pagan celebration of Yule, communities would select special trees to honor. They would decorate them and gather at those trees where they would conduct Yuletide ceremonies. The ceremonies mainly centered around blessing their orchards to weather the winter well so that the trees would return in the springtime to start a bountiful growing season. Spiritually powerful trees (such as oaks and evergreens) were usually selected.
BTW, Yule occurs on Dec 22 this year. So go out into the forest and drag in a fallen oak that will burn for about 12 days (origin of the 12 days of Christmas, except the tradition is pagan). That is known as a Yule log and as you might imagine it was Party Central. Shove the trunk end of the tree into the fireplace and then keep pushing it in as it burns. The Yule log gets lit at Yuletide (the hibernal solstice) and, ideally, it lasts for the entire festival (into the new year). If the solstice lands on the 20th of December, then a 12-day log will last until the 1st of January.
I should do a pagan traditions thing like I did a Samhain (Halloween). There's the significance of mistletoe, holly, gift giving, Santa Claus, and other things that have pagan origins.
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I would have to agree. I celebrate yule and have since I was 13 or so. My wahine and I celebrate yule with each other now an have started our own traditions and mixed them with old traditions. We are 100% pagan.
With out violating the "no polyticin' & religion talk" on this board, I don't think i can say anything else.
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[ This Message was edited by: Unkle John 2007-12-06 13:40 ]
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The Gnomon
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: May 01, 2007
Posts: 1276
From: MD-DC-VA
| Posted: 2007-12-07 09:35 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-12-06 13:39, Unkle John wrote:
I would have to agree. I celebrate yule and have since I was 13 or so. My wahine and I celebrate yule with each other now an have started our own traditions and mixed them with old traditions. We are 100% pagan.
With out violating the "no polyticin' & religion talk" on this board, I don't think i can say anything else.
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I don't think explaining why pagans can appreciate aluminum trees constitutes religion talk. Nor does explaining the pagan origins of popular traditions. I'm continually asked at certain times of the year about such origins. It's gotten to where I just volunteer it. People seem to be fascinated about them.
For example, most people don't realize that Yuletide was originally a laundry detergent only used during Midwinter.
screwed up the BBCode
[ This Message was edited by: The Gnomon 2007-12-07 09:38 ]
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boutiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 03, 2002
Posts: 485
From: The fly-over states
| Posted: 2007-12-21 09:25 am Permalink
We finally have room to put up 3 of ours, plus a small one in the little guy's room.
With some lights:
-Duke
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[ This Message was edited by: boutiki 2007-12-23 13:53 ]
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sputnikmoss
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 04, 2007
Posts: 275
From: Portland OR
| Posted: 2007-12-21 12:12 pm Permalink
Nice Boutiki!! That's a pretty tasty marshmallow seat you have there too!
Here is a shot of ours right before our holiday party
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