People are turning Christmas trees into New Year trees

Christmas lovers can’t stand the thought of tearing down their trees after the holiday, and it turns out they don’t have to.  

Decorating a New Year tree or yolka is a time-honored Russian tradition, and some people have found a way to incorporate both customs into their holiday celebrations. 

People are swapping their Christmas tree decorations for festive party hats, metallic streamers, and clocks, to ring in the new year, while sharing the stunning results online. 

'Tis the season! People are swapping their Christmas tree decorations for festive party hats, metallic streamers, and clocks, to ring in the new year

‘Tis the season! People are swapping their Christmas tree decorations for festive party hats, metallic streamers, and clocks, to ring in the new year

Great idea: A lifestyle blogger named Tracy demonstrated how she turned her Christmas tree into a New Year tree using silver ornaments, party hats, and signs 

Great idea: A lifestyle blogger named Tracy demonstrated how she turned her Christmas tree into a New Year tree using silver ornaments, party hats, and signs 

A woman named Penelope took to Instagram this week to share a photo of Christmas tree alongside an image of her New Year Tree.

While the former features festive red and white Christmas ornaments, the latter is decorated with white and metallic balls and Happy New Year hats. 

‘This is what happens when your real tree has lived it’s life, but you aren’t ready for the holiday season to be over,’ she wrote. ‘Bye bye Christmas tree…Hello New Year tree!’

Kimberly Jackson also posted photos showing how she transformed her Christmas tree into a New Year tree before the holiday. 

Stunning: Esther Gonzalez left her pink Christmas ornaments on her tree but added gold tassels, star garlands, and a gold foil '2018' balloon she picked up at the 99 Cents Only Store

Stunning: Esther Gonzalez left her pink Christmas ornaments on her tree but added gold tassels, star garlands, and a gold foil ‘2018’ balloon she picked up at the 99 Cents Only Store

Ready to celebrate: Kimberly Jackson used colorful balloons and streamers to turn her Christmas tree into a New Year tree

Ready to celebrate: Kimberly Jackson used colorful balloons and streamers to turn her Christmas tree into a New Year tree

Ready to celebrate: Kimberly Jackson used colorful balloons and streamers to turn her Christmas tree into a New Year tree 

The countdown begins: One person decorated her New Year tree with balloons stamped with different times 

The countdown begins: One person decorated her New Year tree with balloons stamped with different times 

Jackson’s Christmas tree was filled with various ornaments shaped like Santa Claus, stockins, and snowmen, but she removed those to make room for balloons and colorful tinsel for her New Year tree.  

Meanwhile, Esther Gonzalez left her pink Christmas ornaments on her tree but added gold tassels, star garlands, and a gold foil ‘2018’ balloon she picked up at the 99 Cents Only Store. 

‘This happened. Does anybody else do a New Year’s themed tree?’ she asked.

In recent years, numerous decorating blogs have shared tips on how to transform a Christmas tree into a New Year tree; however, the Russian tradition shouldn’t be confused with the common practice of leaving a tree up until after New Year’s Day. 

Flower power: Svetlana Kharchenko of the Ukraine decorated her New Year tree with a stunning floral arrangement 

Flower power: Svetlana Kharchenko of the Ukraine decorated her New Year tree with a stunning floral arrangement 

Making it easy: The Oh! New Year's Tree decorating kit comes with streamers, party hats, a gold tree topper, wish lists, and a kid-friendly book.

Making it easy: The Oh! New Year’s Tree decorating kit comes with streamers, party hats, a gold tree topper, wish lists, and a kid-friendly book.

Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 1500s and Peter the Great brought brought them to Russia in the 17th century. 

After the Russian Revolution in 1917, trees were banned until 1935 — but they were only to be used to celebrate the secular New Year holiday.

Russian photographer Roman Makhmutov told Wired that Western Christmas is quite similar to New Year’s in Russia. 

‘My family always had a New Year tree,’ he said. ‘The custom to decorate it is one of the brightest memories from my childhood, so it became an important part of my life too.’

For those looking to give their Christmas tree a makeover ahead of 2018 Delish  pointed out that the Oh! New Year’s Tree decorating kit comes with streamers, party hats, a gold tree topper, wish lists, and a kid-friendly book.



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