From the roast turkey dinner to the stockings by the fire, the mince pies and egg-nog, and the obligatory cries of ‘did you keep the receipt, dear?’, Christmas can get a little samey.
Nowhere is this more true than in the decorating of the perennial Christmas tree.
Whether you favour lights-only, single-colour decorations, or a no-tinsel policy, chances are your foliage doesn’t look much different from the millions of others springing up in homes across Britain this weekend.
But if you want to turn yuletide tradition on its head, you could start by flipping your tree upside down.
Improbable as it may sound, topsy-turvy trees are all the rage for 2017.
Improbable as it may sound, topsy-turvy trees are all the rage for 2017. Pictured is the upside down Christmas tree at Claridge’s
The curious practice dates back to 12th-century Central and Eastern Europe, when the inverted triangular shape was believed to signify the Holy Trinity.
Devout people argue that the tip of the tree ought to point towards heaven, but the fashion has gradually taken hold and last year made its way to the UK, when London’s Tate Britain gallery copied the style for its seasonal centrepiece.
Now shopping centres and department stores have leaped nimbly on the bandwagon as a way of creating a new look from an old custom — and freeing up more floor space for their shoppers.
Last week, Claridge’s Hotel in London became the latest devotee when it unveiled a giant spruce suspended upside down in its foyer and decorated by Chanel fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, no less, with a glitzy array of baubles, lights and snowy, white-painted roots.
![The curious practice dates back to 12th-century Central and Eastern Europe, when the inverted triangular shape was believed to signify the Holy Trinity. Pictured is Tate Britain's topsy-turvy tree](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/01/22/46E3951E00000578-5137823-image-m-21_1512166974815.jpg)
The curious practice dates back to 12th-century Central and Eastern Europe, when the inverted triangular shape was believed to signify the Holy Trinity. Pictured is Tate Britain’s topsy-turvy tree
‘At Claridge’s we love and respect our history and tradition, but we also believe in looking forward to the future and staying relevant to today,’ says spokesperson Paula Fitzherbert.
‘This year’s inverted Christmas tree is Lagerfeld’s playful fashionable take on this festive ritual.’
While there is no denying the top-heavy topiary is an eye-catching new twist, can you really do it at home, and — more to the point — why would you even want to?
Here, the Mail’s Christmas fairy ALICE SMELLIE grabs a string of twinkly lights and suspends her disbelief . . . along with her tree.
1. The first step to a cool yule
My artificial upside-down tree is in three pieces, which slot into one another. It is very easy to assemble, once you get over the incongruity of the smallest piece at the bottom. Because it is made in a factory, the ‘leaves’ are evenly spaced.
The branches are hinged to the central ‘trunk’, and with gravity, fall straight into place. Best of all it’s terrifically stable — not a wobble in sight.
![My artificial upside-down tree is in three pieces, which slot into one another. It is very easy to assemble, once you get over the incongruity of the smallest piece at the bottom, writes Alice Smellie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/01/22/46E394FE00000578-5137823-image-a-12_1512166656904.jpg)
My artificial upside-down tree is in three pieces, which slot into one another. It is very easy to assemble, once you get over the incongruity of the smallest piece at the bottom, writes Alice Smellie
2. Conical…and comical
So how do I decorate it? I ask expert Gaynor Stableford of christmastreeworld.co.uk, which has seen a rush on upside-down trees ranging in size from 3ft to 5ft.
‘There is more competition than ever for the best decorated home, especially in these days of social media,’ she warns.
Rachel Patey, from Capital Gardens (capitalgardens.co.uk), offers the simple instruction: ‘Work from top to bottom.’
![So how do I decorate it? I ask expert Gaynor Stableford of christmastreeworld.co.uk, which has seen a rush on upside-down trees (pictured) ranging in size from 3ft to 5ft](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/01/22/46E3951100000578-5137823-image-a-13_1512166672622.jpg)
So how do I decorate it? I ask expert Gaynor Stableford of christmastreeworld.co.uk, which has seen a rush on upside-down trees (pictured) ranging in size from 3ft to 5ft
3. Like Lagerfeld, I want to sparkle
Hallelujah — my Argos tree is up. Although it is pre-lit with 200 nicely spaced lights, I want the opulent Karl Lagerfeld look.
This means baubles and trims. Rachel Patey advises placing the larger ones at the top, spacing out evenly, gradually reducing the size from top to bottom as you go, and not letting them hang too far from the branches.
I have bought different-sized baubles for £12 for a pack of 60 (homebase.co.uk).
![Hallelujah ¿ my Argos tree (pictured) is up. Although it is pre-lit with 200 nicely spaced lights, I want the opulent Karl Lagerfeld look. This means baubles and trims](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/01/22/46E394CF00000578-5137823-image-a-14_1512166903084.jpg)
Hallelujah — my Argos tree (pictured) is up. Although it is pre-lit with 200 nicely spaced lights, I want the opulent Karl Lagerfeld look. This means baubles and trims
4. More is….more!
Next, I adorn the wide, flat top. ‘Use fake flowers twined around the branches or presents,’ says Rachel.
I settle on a large lit-up star (£13.50, sainsburys.co.uk) and presents. At the base, Lagerfeld used a sheepskin rug, while I opt for a cream fluffy one (£29.99, homebase.co.uk).
If I’d used a real tree, I would have had to suspend it from the ceiling using hooks and wire.
‘And it would droop,’ says Rachel, ‘so you’d need something like those green orchid canes to hold the branches in place. I don’t advise trying this unless you’re an expert carpenter.’
![The top still looks exposed, so I throw on lots of lametta ¿ strands of silver and gold tinsel which create a waterfall effect (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/01/22/46E3957100000578-5137823-image-a-15_1512166908365.jpg)
The top still looks exposed, so I throw on lots of lametta — strands of silver and gold tinsel which create a waterfall effect (pictured)
5. Finally, I’ve turned Xmas on it’s head!
The top still looks exposed, so I throw on lots of lametta — strands of silver and gold tinsel which create a waterfall effect.
My grandparents loved this, although I thought it a bit naff. In fact — surprise! — it works well and I use a whopping 40 packets (£1 a pack from department stores).
The whole thing has taken around two hours, which is about four times as long as usual.
I am exhausted. I’d have thought needle drop would be worse as the wider base can’t ‘catch’ them, but Rachel says that’s not the case.
‘Non-drop trees are really fantastic these days,’ she explains. ‘Nordmann firs, for example, don’t shed foliage because of the way the needle is fixed to the branch.
‘You could hydrate a freshly-cut tree for a few days, then hang it and be reasonably confident.’
All in all, I’m thrilled with the result and I think upending could catch on.