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Once you’re fully recovered from the Thanksgiving feast and festivities, the next family tradition often entails hauling the decorations out of storage to deck the halls with holiday cheer. But if you were too stuffed to leave the sofa, out of town, or stuck in shopping lines last weekend, fret not. Colorado-based Modern Christmas Trees offers a unique piece of avant-garde décor to simplify your holiday setup.
Inspired by the A-frame design of 1960’s style homes, Denver architect and designer Lawrence “Bud” Stoecker developed the Christmas creations—constructed from transparent acrylic rings—as a hobby many years ago. The trees take up a small amount of space compared to other artificial options, require minimal assembly, and are equally easy to dismantle (no more fighting those annoying plastic tree limbs).
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Matthew Bliss, the creator’s grandson, says the trees also honor his grandfather, who recently passed away after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. “The trees are a piece of my past my grandfather gave me, and I now get to share them with others,” Bliss said. “I’ve been able to share his story, and the story of the tree, with hundreds of people all over the world, and in doing so, raise awareness and some money for the Alzheimer’s Association.”
And, the clever creations are going global. Bliss has taken orders from as far away as Australia, and a Modern Christmas Tree was chosen as the fairytale fixing for Disneyland Hotel’s 2012 Christmas festivities. Another will serve as a centerpiece for the Foothills Festival of Trees, to be auctioned December 1 as part of the annual gala to support the Boys & Girls Club.
Since receiving a design patent, Modern Christmas Trees has been able to play with funky concepts, including a pastel pink tree complete with a bubble machine attached to the base. They can also be ordered with custom colors and dimensions to fit a special spot or theme. For seasonally spirited folks who lack the perfect pine, a Modern Tree may be a fun new Christmas tradition.
—Image courtesy of Modern Christmas Trees