Christmas trees go bottoms up (From Bucks Free Press)

Christmas trees go bottoms up

10:35am Thursday 8th November 2007 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

IT could be a topsy-turvy Christmas this year if an American craze for upside-down Christmas trees proves a hit with Wycombe shoppers.

John Lewis, which has a home and leisure store in Holmers Farm Way, Cressex, has gone for an unusual twist on the tree in its festive collection in an effort to reduce the amount of space it takes up in smaller homes.

Store bosses say the trees, which stand on their points balanced by a metal base, were all the rage in the USA last year after becoming popular with New York apartment dwellers.

Since they went sale in stores across the UK last month - with a price tag of £75 - trend-setting buyers have been snapping them up at a rate of one sale every hour.

While John Lewis admits the tree turns tradition on its head, it says it saves space, has more room for presents at the base, lets decorations hang freely, keeps delicate baubles out of reach of small children and pets - and certainly provides a conversation piece.

Lisa Rutherford, buyer for seasonal events, said: "John Lewis has developed a reputation for innovation at Christmas. Having set a trend for unusual Christmas decorative products with our black tree three years ago, we wanted to find something special for this year.

"We discovered the hanging upside down tree and set about developing a version with a proper stable floor base. It will be interesting to see whether our customers like it but early sales show that its already going down a storm."

Although it may seem radical, the upside down tree has its roots in the Middle Ages when spreading evergreen boughs throughout homes was a pagan ritual for warding off evil spirits. Its history can also be traced to the Celts, Romans and Vikings, long before Christianity took off, who brought evergreens indoors and hung them upside down as they believed its triangular shape represented the Holy Trinity.

The tradition continued for some time, but by the 16th Century it was decided the tip of the tree should points upwards towards heaven, instead of towards hell, and the tree was turned the right way up.