The Surprising Origin Behind Upside-Down Christmas Trees

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Now that Christmas is on its way, it’s time to deck the halls with a Christmas tree. There is no shortage of Christmas tree trends, which include picture-perfect themes as well as nostalgic ornaments from days gone by. But before you can say “ready, set, glow,” you will need to choose the perfect tree.

So, are you buying an artificial noble fir that will genuinely spruce up your home, or will your truck through a snowy tree lot Clark Griswold style? The choice is yours. Nonetheless, there is one other alternative, which you may have heard of. Yes, we’re talking about upside-down Christmas trees.

Christmas tree non-conformists are sure to vibe with this twist on the usual holiday decor. Like Valentine’s Day- and Halloween-themed trees, the upside-down tree has some charm and is undoubtedly for the more creative types. As opposed to the traditional Christmas tree, the upside-down tree’s trunk points toward the ceiling, whereas the tree topper points towards the ground.

Is this chandelier-like display just a quirky fad, or does it have a deeper significance? In fact, it does, and its deeper meaning might lead some to wonder whether or not they should adopt a new Christmas tradition.

The History Of The Upside-Down Christmas Tree

Those instantly put off by the upside-down display may think it looks absurd when compared to an upright tree. Others may go so far as to say that trees hanging from the ceiling are sacrilegious and are making a mockery of the Christian holiday.

Even so, while Christians are certainly entitled to their opinions, the upside-down tree is far from sacrilegious. In fact, upside-down trees symbolize both the holy trinity and Christ crucified on the cross.

According to The Daily Mass, Saint Boniface, an English monk of the eighth century, traveled to Germany to bring Christianity. After arriving, Boniface discovered that people had made an oak tree their god, which angered him. Therefore, he cut it down and a small evergreen grew in its place.

Boniface used the small triangular evergreen shape to illustrate the Holy Trinity. Consequently, by the 12th century, more and more Germans abandoned pagan rituals, adopting the fir tree as the “Trinity Tree,” and hanging it upside-down as a symbol of their devotion to Christ.

A decorated fireplace and upside-down christmas tree surrounded by twinkling lights — (Fusionstudio/Shutterstock.com)

Upside-down Christmas trees are still fairly popular in eastern European homes, and among Slavic Christmas traditions, but they haven’t been as popular in the United States–until recently.

Despite its origin, many people prefer an upside-down tree simply because it saves space. It’s true! If you’re looking for the best Christmas trees for small spaces, then an upside-down tree is perfect.

If you’re scratching your head wondering how to hang an upside-down Christmas tree–you’re not alone. But don’t worry, we have some tips that will help you branch out this holiday.

How To Hang An Upside-Down Christmas Tree Like A Pro

Unfortunately, if you’re interested in hanging an upside-down tree, you’ll have to hang an artificial tree. Sorry, #teamrealtree. Although this may have been done with real trees during Boniface’s time, we wouldn’t recommend it since it would be incredibly heavy. Furthermore, if you thought an upright tree’s needles were annoying, imagine how many would be on the ground if the tree wasn’t able to drink water.

There are two popular methods to hanging an upside-down Christmas tree. The first is to run a wire from two anchor points. Drill a hole in the trunk of your hanging tree and run the wire through it. The second option, which is cleaner, is to mount a heavy-duty hook in the ceiling. Be sure your mounting equipment is in a stud. You don’t want to rely on drywall and drywall anchors alone to hang your tree.

There’s no need to worry if hanging a tree chandelier-style from the ceiling is not in your skillset. It’s not necessary to hang the tree upside-down from the ceiling to enjoy the upside-down shape. If you prefer, you can order an upside-down artificial Christmas tree that sits on the floor in a stand. Moreover, this way you won’t have to worry about ornaments breaking if you aren’t confident about your hanging abilities.

Once your inverted tree is up, remember that it can be styled the same way as a traditional tree, with twinkling lights and ornaments. However, with its larger top, it’s capable of having a showstopper, so go big or go home!

So, there you have it! This Christmas, will your Christmas tree be up or down?