Nation & World

The upside-down Christmas tree is trendy again, and people are flipping

By Lisa Gutierrez
The lighting of the upside-down Christmas tree on Thursday at Westfield San Francisco Centre is billed as the city’s “most Instagrammable holiday moment.”
The lighting of the upside-down Christmas tree on Thursday at Westfield San Francisco Centre is billed as the city’s “most Instagrammable holiday moment.” Westfield San Francisco Centre Instagram

The White House unveiled its Christmas decorations on Monday, everything designed around a traditional, classic theme.

There wasn’t one trendy, upside-down Christmas tree in sight.

The topsy-turvy trees have made a comeback for yet another holiday season, and, like last year, people still seem bothered and bah-humbugged by them.

If you haven’t seen one, they look like this.

Those are the fancier, commercial versions. The ones sold for everyman by Target and other retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond, look like this.

“If you’ve seen upside-down Christmas trees for sale in stores or through online vendors and thought they were modern, space-saving versions of traditional Christmas trees, think again,” notes The Spruce home decorating website.

“The tradition of hanging a Christmas tree upside down from the ceiling is an old one in Central and Eastern Europe.”

The shape of the upside-down tree is regarded as a symbol of Christianity because it resembles the shape of the crucified Christ, writes The Spruce, though some people beg to differ and hate this tree on religious and political grounds.

From a purely decorative standpoint, an upside down Tannenbaum makes sense. It helps keep ornaments away from clumsy little kiddie hands and pets. And — is this not the best part? — there’s more room underneath for gifts.

But while decorators gush and pictures flood Instagram and Pinterest, some people seem unsure this is a trend they want to try.

“I have a lot of questions. Why is Target selling an upside down Christmas tree? Why is it nearly $1000? Is this a Stranger Things joke that I’m missing? Someone help,” pleaded Twitter user @schaferwafer.

Even former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski weighed in on this weighty decorating debate recently on “Fox and Friends.”

He hates it.

Others are more willing to think outside the boxwood.

And maybe, an upside-down tree is even better if it rotates?

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "The upside-down Christmas tree is trendy again, and people are flipping."

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