10 Christmas Tree Alternatives To Get You Thinking Outside The Boughs

Am I the only one who doesn't want the holidays to end this year? All my social media feeds are full of the coziest eye candy, and I could look at pictures of quirky menorahs and woodsy Solstice wreaths and twinkly Christmas trees forever. Ahhhh.

I know Hanukkah is over, but the other week my friend Jarrett dubbed this his "Menorahsaurus" and it demanded to be shared.

Oh! And then there are all the crafts and foods and crafty foods. Apparently John and I have to make something called Christmas Crack? Have you heard of this?

Anyhoo, since I can already see staying on topic is going to be a challenge today, let's get right to it. In case the dinosaur didn't tip you off, I love quirky holiday decor, so I've been saving pictures of fun and funky tree alternatives all month to show you bots. It it too late to actually make any of these? NEVAHHH. Maybe. If so, then just enjoy the pretty pics.

Oh, and I gave them all punny names, because, me.

Starting with an oldie but a goodie:

- Oh 2D Tree

I've always gone heart-eyes over Suessical and/or cartoon styles, so this has been one of my favorites for years. It also reminds me of Borderlands. Add in the fact that all you need is scrap cardboard and paint, and I'm all in. Love me some cheap builds.

Next, cue the Will Smith song:

- Gettin' Twiggy With It:

(By Brocante Ma Jolie on Etsy)

Na na na na nana na

You're welcome for the ear worm. This one could potentially be another no-cost craft, if you have a bunch of branches in the yard and some spare twine.

- A Step Above

How cute is this for that old ladder in the garage?

"Ok," you're thinking, "but MY ladder is aluminum, so I can't pull off the rustic look."

No worries, then you could do this!

Provided you don't have cats. Or kids. Or any strong gusts of wind. 

OK, let's be honest, no one is going to do this. But it looks cool, right?

- Life of The Party Tree
or
This Tree's Got BALLS

(By Oh Joy!)

Start with a trellis base and add as many giant paper balls and ornaments as you like. (Joy made a mini forest of these, hit the link to see the rest!) This one would take a lot of advance planning/shopping, but I love the idea because most of it folds flat for storage.

- The Branch Manager:

(By Grandin Road retailer)

No more trunk space? Then ditch the trunk! I'd try to DIY this with a bunch of faux ferns to get that tapered effect.

 

 - The Eagle Has Garlanded

First let's take a moment to appreciate that pun, because it's my favorite.

Thank you.

This is also my favorite most doable "tree" on the list. All you need are a few things from the dollar store, and it shouldn't take long to put up, either. Just attach a bunch of Command Hooks sideways down the wall in 2 lines, then zigzag your garland & lights through! I really want to try this one, we're just hard up for that much free wall space, ha.

- A Happy Holiday Is In The Cards:

(via Mack Male on Flickr)

I'm going to guess there are stacked foam circles in there to give it structure, which, you know, sounds like a lot of work. You could use boxes or do a 2D version on a wall, instead: just tack up the cards with Museum Putty.


- Totally Tubular:

(via Makezine)

This PVC pipe design is another old favorite of mine; that picture just makes me happy. It's like a little cabinet of curiosities! And you can attach it to a board like they have, so it hangs on the wall like a big picture.

I went looking to see if anyone else had ever made a pipe tree, and found this version with lights from Leroy Merlin:

Brilliant!

- Some Light-Hearted Fun

John and I have a huge mass of LED lights with almost translucent wires, and I would LOVE to try this with them. It's sort of ghostly and heavenly at the same time. Looks like all you need are the lights, some tulle, and a sturdy ceiling hook. (I'm not sure how they attached them to the ground, but I'd use white foam board with notches round the edge.)

And finally:

- Feelin' A Little Extra Extra

or 
Literal Christmas Trash

(via Lonny Magazine)

That, my friends, is a giant pile of old newspapers, probably stuffed in a tomato cage or wire frame. More proof you don't need to spend a lot of money to make cool things! I like how ruffly it is, and the splotches of pastel colors. Then when you're done, it all goes in the recycling bin!

I'd like to try a smaller version with tissue paper; you could do some awesome color combos that way: rainbow stripes, perhaps?

I hope these made you smile, and maybe inspired you to try a last-minute craft? Or at least to tuck these away for next year. Just remember: if it's not fun and fulfilling, drop it. Nothing about this season is mandatory, and this year especially, you get a free pass to skip as much as you like.

Five years from now no one will remember or care if you finished the baking or the decorating or the shopping; they'll just remember you, and the love you share together. So please be kind to yourself this week. Rest up. Chat with a friend who makes you feel seen. Play with your kids, read a good book. Then when you replenish those spoons, when your cup is full, pass it on.

As predicted I'm nowhere NEAR finished with all my Christmas content, so stay tuned for my yearly house tour - no theme, just random silliness John and I've put together - plus a couple more crafty projects. I'll try to at least taper off by the new year... but no promises. This is how *I* fill up, and I'm having too much fun.  ;)

*****

P.S. John and I aren't exchanging gifts this year - with each other or with anyone, really - which is why I have the energy for decorating and crafts. I'll still happily use Christmas as an excuse to buy myself something, though, so I thought I'd show you my two "gifts" this year:

First, this monster tree brooch by MarliToys:




Lidiya hand makes & paints each little stuffed fabric character, and I love this so much I decided to... TREE't myself. Eh? EH? It's coming from Ukraine, though, so I don't think it will make it by the 25th - but that's just another reason to extend my Christmas celebrating.

And second, I ordered this sweet Mickey vinyl by another of my favorite artists, Miss Mindy:

I think this retailed for $30 at the Disney Parks, but this week Mickey's been marked down to less than $12 on Amazon! Awww yeeeah.  He's bigger than you think, about 7 inches tall, and I've had the matching Minnie for over a year now. Can't wait to add Mr. Mouse to the shelf beside her.