When a tree is not a tree

I do love a Christmas tree! Sally, in last week’s Diva, with her excellent information on obtaining and maintaining one, stirred me to action. But alas, due to a major remodeling project at my house, resulting in the usual location of my Christmas tree being given over to the storage of sheetrock, plywood, windows, tiles, paint, putty, and other miscellaneous building supplies, other space must be found. At best, I might make room on a side table. It is a miniature tree for us.

However small, it will not be an imitation tree, as I abhor them, leastwise as replacement for the real thing. Both of my daughters have one by way of a bedroom ornament, which is acceptable, and despite my dislike for chicanery, I thoroughly enjoy ornaments that are reminiscent of a tree without pretending to be one. You know the type - a cone-shaped form with a festive covering.

These can be purchased , ranging in price from $15 to $75, but are also simple to make, the craft department of most stores providing 3-inch to 3-foot naked Styrofoam cones at about 20 percent of the cost of clothed ones. As for coverings, my own collection of holiday paraphernalia would clothe a dozen or more cones, and the only other supplies needed would be a hot-glue gun and glue, fabric glue, corsage pins, bamboo skewers, and light-weight florist’s wire, all of which I also have on hand.

One might do something as simple as wrapping a form with ribbon, securing the ends with hot-glue or a corsage pin, or bows of ribbon could be attached to cover the cone. Green ribbon would be quite tree-like, although red, gold, or blue might be merrier. Glass tree ornaments, especially balls, can be hot-glued over a ribbon wrap, or attached directly to a tinfoil-wrapped form by removing the metal ends from the ornaments and pressing the sharp glass stems through the foil and into the foam.

For a more natural feel, cover the cone with moss or burlap, using fabric glue, and add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, peppermint candies, dried berries, popcorn, nuts, or imitation fruit, gluing, pinning, or wiring them into place. Genuine fruit can be used on a large form, secured by pushing bamboo skewers through the fruit and into the Styrofoam. Real fruit is messier to work with, as juice drips from the fruit when it is initially skewered, and the punctured fruit only keeps about 24 hours, but a fruit-laden cone can make a sensational decoration for a holiday event. Not wanting to waste the fruit, put it into a pie or a salad the following day.

For an elaborate effect, a tree form is a great place to display an ornament collection, attaching the components by one of the aforementioned methods. A troupe of assorted nutcrackers would be charming, or a graceful troupe of faeries. Colorful birds would be lovely, especially the kinds with real feathers for tails, and miniature houses, interspersed with cloves and cinnamon sticks, would create a gingerbread effect, always a Christmas favorite. Naturally, Santas, snowmen, teddy bears, and the like would work equally as well, or any other holiday collection one has available.

In addition to being inexpensive, disposable, and fun to fashion, these ornaments make a wonderful gift for that “someone who has everything” whom we all have on our Christmas lists, and they provide an opportunity to experiment with holiday color schemes. I play with the color scheme idea every year, ultimately being unable to set aside any of my favorite ornaments, and ending up with a myriad-colored tree. I find that I can confine myself to a theme of sorts on a Styrofoam form, probably due to limited space, and the choosing of the colors invariably occupies more time than the actual construction. Red and green are classic Christmas colors, followed by blue, silver, and gold, although I personally favor purple. This year’s popular combinations are black and burgundy, or black and silver - quite elegant, if, possibly, somewhat severe.

The longer I expound on the subject, the more I am convinced that my tiny tree would be splendidly augmented with some tree-like house ornaments. Perhaps, then, the lack of a proper-sized tree will not be so noticeable, and I can find a use for those extra ornaments I bought at the after Christmas-sales last year. I was certain they would be needed.

Hally Truelove is a Master Gardener and Plants Woman who lives and gardens in Wasilla with her two daughters, a handful of cats, a bunch of bunnies, some guinea pigs, a dog and a frog. Contact her at 376-0909.