11.27.2010

1960'S ALUMINUM CHRISTMAS TREES!


As my readers already know I am obsessed by all that is 1960's vintage. One of my favorite icons of 1960's design is the aluminum Christmas tree, featuring ornate branches made of shiny tinsel like aluminum. It think the people who invented this odd looking tree (for the time) we sick of stringing tinsel 2 strands at time and not in globs that resembled spider webs as my mom used to say..


They are a very striking gorgeous, shiny symbol of the space age and in fact on television they were called "Space Age Christmas Trees" in the commercials.

The most popular color for sale was silver, but trees in other colors were made too -- pink, red, green and blue. Today, original vintage pink aluminum trees are rare and they are very expensive on Ebay that is if you can find one.


My family never had one, we didn't like them as children. No tinsel, no lights, a few ornaments fit on these trees, boring. My Uncle Ernie had the first one in my family. I remember their tree had photos of Ski-Doo Snowmobiles on it. When I asked him why, he told me that the family received the Ski-Doos as their gift. Hard to wrap a snowmobile I guess! Ernie was always ahead of his time.



As time went on I really started to love these space age looking trees. I still do not have one as my daughter liked a more ornate style tree. We did have flocked trees in blue, white and pink. Then I did have several white artificial trees and now have a tall skinny green with multicolored lights.



Here's a fun, unique holiday outing that will make you smile and brighten your day. The Aluminum Tree & Ornament Museum (ATOM), the world's only museum dedicated to vintage aluminum Christmas trees, reopened for this holiday season, celebrating 50 years of the aluminum Christmas tree.




The History of Aluminum

Dozens of trees and thousands of ornaments are on display in whimsical themes, with displays dedicated to the Wizard of Oz, (Right up my alley!) and Elvis. Numerous color wheels and revolving tree stands from the era are interspersed with artifacts from the aluminum trees' glory years.


8 comments:

Robin Nette said...

OOh I was so excited the day my Aunt passed me down her tree that is still packed perfectly in the box, And my Adult kids are going to have wrestle each other someday to get it!!! While we were moving her this year we finally found the color wheel, I usually decorate it with black and hot pink to match my living room, some years i have 6 trees and some years 13!

meme said...

My grandmother had an aluminum tree, color wheel and all. I looked at some earlier this evening...$900, but they throw in the color wheel for FREE!!! Whoopie.

Ted Copeland said...

"I remember my Mom picked one up at a yard sale; so when I was around 8 years old I had my own aluminum tree in my room. I got the bright idea to run a string of Christmas lights on it and when I plugged it in the house almost burned down :)"

Marilyn Bettencourt said...

omg we had one, hot pink garland and bulbs...guess my mom ruled...lol and the wheel of changing colors...we only used it for 2 years...then bye bye to Salvation Army...

Dee Gilbert said...

Good Morning,
I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend.I think my Mom has an aluminum tree.My parent's were collectors. dad, watches and clocks and Mom purses and jewelry. They had it all for so many years.My dad a clock room and when you turned off the lights 20 or thirty clocks would light up It was so cool.

Anonymous said...

My Grandmother had an aluminum tree you haven't mentioned. It was flocked WHITE and she did put lights on it and it was fine. She also used the color wheel with a base that has a music box in it. Sadly my grandfather tossed it out when she wasn't looking and brought home a rubber tree and 5 sets of 5way flashers in the 80's...I did keep the color wheel ;)

Anonymous said...

I just bought a silver and blue Aluminum tree at an auction. It is 4 1/2 ft tall. Original box. It was made in Scranton Pa. could anyone tell me anything about it.

Anonymous said...

I am looking for a vintage Pink Aluminum Christmas tree. Does anyone knows anything about it?

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