‘Oh! Christmas tree?’
For centuries, the term “Christmas Tree” always referred to a live evergreen tree that was typically cut and brought into one’s home. (A few people brought the whole tree – roots and all – into their homes; most people, though, used freshly-cut evergreen trees.)
The major differences in Christmas Trees were whether the trees were pines, spruces, or other types of evergreen trees.
In the 1950’s, though, an alternative to live Christmas Trees came into mass production – the Aluminum Christmas Tree.
Typically silver in color, these trees had certain benefits.
Aluminum Christmas Trees never needed to be watered, did not shed needles on the floor, and could be re-used year-after-year. All of these benefits led to an overall lower cost compared to buying freshly-cut Christmas Trees each year.
One of the first mentions of an Aluminum Christmas Tree in the news media was a news article dated December 15, 1956, in the Fort Lauderdale Daily News. The focus of this news article was a 40-foot high Aluminum Christmas Tree being installed by Palm Beach Towers in Palm Beach, Fla. The news article indicated that this tree would include 5,000 Christmas lights in the colors of white, pink, and green. The tree reportedly cost $10,000.00.
(Please note: Few people actually put electrical lights on Aluminum Christmas Trees. It was – and it is – a fire hazard to hang electrical lights on Aluminum Christmas Trees.)
The first advertisements selling Aluminum Christmas Trees to the general public started to appear in newspapers in about the fourth quarter of 1958. Through the 1950’s and 1960’s, ads highlighted low-cost trees or free trees with certain purchases.
In its edition dated Oct. 8, 1958, The Arlington Heights Herald of Illinois published an advertisement for the Mark Walgreen Agency Drug Store that was selling 6-foot and 7-foot Aluminum Christmas Trees. The 6-foot tree sold for $14.77; the 7-foot tree was selling for $16.88. A layaway plan was available for Aluminum Christmas Tree purchases.
Fox & Company advertised a variety of Aluminum Christmas Trees in an advertisement in the Dec. 12, 1958, edition of The Hartford Courant. Prices ranged from $34.98 for a 4-foot Aluminum Christmas Tree, while a 7-foot Aluminum Christmas Tree was priced at $79.98.
In the October 9, 1959, edition of The Tampa Tribune, Kress in Downtown Tampa advertised a 4-½ feet high Aluminum Christmas Tree for $9.95 and a 6-½ feet high Aluminum Christmas Tree for $15.95.
A number of people throughout the United States have fond memories of Aluminum Christmas Trees. Some still proudly display their Aluminum Christmas Trees.