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Vintage retro aluminum Christmas trees -- kitsch or cool?

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History of aluminum Christmas trees

Aluminum trees were first manufactured in 1958 by the Aluminum Specialty Company. The trees consisted of a center pole with holes drilled in at an angle, to which branches covered in aluminum "needles" were attached. By placing the branches in the holes, a tree shape is formed.

The trees were in common usage until the late 1960s when they fell out of favour. Today, however, they are once again becoming popular with collectors.

The colours of cluminum Christmas trees
Looking for pink Christmas trees?
Get your very own aluminum Christmas tree!
Why use a colour wheel?
Aluminum tree colour wheels
Shiny silver aluminum Christmas trees
Do you need a tree turner?
Christmas tree turners
Aluminum Christmas Tree books
How to assemble your aluminum Christmas tree
Aluminum Christmas tree links
Need more vintage Christmas ideas?

The colours of cluminum Christmas trees

Silver aluminum christmas trees are most common

Aluminum trees come in many colours. The most common colour is silver, but one can also find gold, green, blue, and pink. Some companies even made blended colours like blue/silver, blue/green and green/silver which had two colours of aluminum needles on each branch.

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Looking for pink Christmas trees?

Aluminum Christmas trees -- kitsch or cool?

Kitsch!

Kimbesa says:

Kitsch IS cool...

MintySea says:

Kitsch is better than cool!
I love Kitsch :-) I don't but christmas tress up. I do simple decorations, tinsel and nativity sets. But seeing something so Kitschy makes me want to change my mind.

BrianS says:

My wife would never let me get away with it, it has to be a real tree every time.

mbrownauthor says:

Not cool. We had one when I was a child. Woo boy. Lol.

Cool!

COUNTRYLUTHIER says:

I agree with Labkitty, got to have the retro lights going.

simonsmommie says:

My grandmother had one when I was growing up in the 60s. It was placed in front of the big picture window. She only allowed red and green glass balls on it and the rotating light illuminated the tree. I loved to lie on the floor by that tree just watching the lights.

PaulOnBooks says:

Perfect solution in small spaces or when you have cats whio use real trees as adventure playgrounds,

davespeed says:

We had one when I was a kid in the sixties. It was silver with blue ornaments and we had a four color rotating light that sat on the floor and illuminated the tree. I don't know what ever became of that tree; I wish I still had it. Merry Christmas!

karmicchristian says:

Cool, as long as real trees are not cut down!

LabKitty says:

Cool - but only if you have the rotating color light thingy...

2010NewLife4Rich says:

I want one just like the old days!

charlino says:

I say cool. I have one.

CollectorsCottage says:

We have a real tree every year, but a mini aluminum tree can be a fun, unexpected accent in a little nook! What a conversation starter! :)

tealmermaid says:

Aluminum trees are cool! If I'm going to have a fake tree, I like having the most obviously fake tree I can find.

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Get your very own aluminum Christmas tree!

aluminum Christmas trees for sale

Why use a colour wheel?

Due to safety concerns, the trees could not be strung with lights in the usual manner. Instead, illumination is provided with the use of a separate color wheel on the floor nearby. This wheel consisted of a rotating coloured disk through which light was projected. The coloured disks broke easily and are hard to find nowadays.

Aluminum tree colour wheels

not a pre-lit artifical christmas tree!

Shiny silver aluminum Christmas trees

and pink and green and gold aluminum Christmas trees, too!

Aluminum Christmas Tree by fireflythegreat

I believe... I believe... Even though it's silly, I believe. by Theresa Thompson

there's a bird in our aluminum tree! by tibbygirl

kitty can't wait to open that iams by bokeh burger

chartreuse and aqua theme by bokeh burger

christmastime is here again by bokeh burger

curated content from Flickr

Do you need a tree turner?

Strictly, no, but I think it adds a lot to the display. A regular stationary stand would be fine if you have one, but having your aluminum Christmas tree rotate just looks cool. The nice thing about these trees (as opposed to a real tree) is that there is no "bad side", so why not show all sides of the tree?

Christmas tree turners

Aluminum Christmas Tree books

better than a Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

How to assemble your aluminum Christmas tree

If you have a taper tree, sort the branches by size. Most aluminum Christmas trees have branches which are all one length; if this is like yours, skip this step.
Set up the stand. Those with rotating Christmas tree stands will want to ensure that the cord for their stand isn't out where someone can trip.
Set up the center pole. Taller trees have a two or more part center pole. Just prong it together.
Secure the center pole into the stand.
Place branches into the holes on the center pole. Long branches go at the bottom. I suggest starting at the bottom and working your way up.
Decorate the tree as desired. Vintage ornaments look great on vintage Christmas trees. Remember, no strings of lights on aluminum Christmas trees!
Set up the colour wheel nearby.
Merry kitschmas!