Oh, Christmas tree, how they don’t love your branches

I groaned a little when I heard that hardly anyone’s going to have a real tree this Christmas. It’s real trees all the way in my family. Choosing it, bringing it home, and wrestling it into the tree stand, is all part of our tradition. Whether because it’s not considered green these days, or people just can’t be bothered, it’s a real shame. But what’s heartening is that they’re not just replacing a real tree with a fake too-perky thing. Many are, of course, but some are being a bit more imaginative, and taking the opportunity to make a bit of a statement.

Here are the options for those of you who, for whatever reason, have ditched the real tree this Christmas but who still want a central Christmas decoration that has something to do with trees. Consider these ideas presented from “secretly really wishing we just had a real tree” to “totally embracing the alternative tree idea”.

Something stylishly pre-lit
A pre-lit red berry paper tree, maybe.

A stylish non-classic tree sculpture
This glittery white Bonsai tree, for example. 

Something Nordic, made of wood or paper
All the rage, of course. Try this wooden Nordic table-top tree.

Something a bit hipster
Made of a stack of books, for example.

Something barely there
Like a wall sticker.

Image: John Lewis