Upside Down Christmas Tree

Yes, it's the Christmas season once more and festive lights, music and Christmas trees are found wherever you go. This year you will notice something a bit different ? take a second look at those odd-shaped Christmas trees! That's right - they are positioned upside down and on purpose. This is not because of some disrespectful religious practice but is actually resurgence in a very old Eastern European practice. Upright Christmas trees do not symbolize the pointing to heaven, as many people think, for the original symbolism of the upside down Christmas tree was to represent Christ hanging on the cross.

Legend goes that an English monk, during the 7th century, first used the shape of a fir tree to explain the Holy Trinity. A few centuries later, fir trees were being hung upside down in European homes as a Christian symbol. Today, in the Krakow area of Poland, a pine tree is hung upside down in the home and decorated with nuts, pears and apples which are then eaten after Christmas Day by the children.

The reason why the Upside Down Christmas tree is becoming so popular is really for more practical purposes. For one, you can place many more presents under it! For small homes, the tree can be hung from the ceiling and is thus completely out of harms way from pets and active kids. Decorating the upside down tree is simpler and you don't need to worry about reaching to put the star on top! Artificial upside down trees could be hung from a bracket on the ceiling, mounted on a wall, placed in a specially weighted base on the floor or just stood upside down on a stand. Go on - surprise your family and friends this Christmas with an Upside Down Christmas Tree.