Christmas Tree Evolution

Top left, stencils can personalize. Right, a bronze tree with organic touches, detail bottom left. It's time to put up the Christmas tree, but you're ready for a break from candy canes. What are the hottest new options for holiday trees this year? A quick foray around the most inspiring showrooms and stores of Southwest Florida brought inspiration by the sleigh-full.

Festively floral

"People automatically think garlands and a star on top," says Norris Furniture & Interiors design consultant Cindy Hollon. "But you can incorporate so many different elements."

Hollon cites floral design as a key component that's useful in creating a new look for a tree. "Incorporate floral stems in sparkly red, green or silver for a signature impact," she says. "Ornamental balls add another texture but are more of a minor component," she says, comparing traditional hanging ornaments to stems easily found at floral and craft shops.

Old Time Pottery bears out what Ms. Hollon says, with bins and bins of stems, front and center in the tree section. Holiday-minded shoppers can choose from golden pomegranate stems; sparkly red or gold eucalyptus branches and Boston ferns; spray coral in a glittery brown or shimmery green; even festive roses and hydrangea. Any of these eye-catching stems can be easily inserted among a tree's branches and to any degree of density; mix and match as it suits you. Priced from as little as $1.49 a stem, these floral touches are not a major investment, are non-breakable, easy to store, and completely transform a tree visually. Traditionalists can add stems with red poinsettia blossoms or wintry white branches with berries, blending a new look with a classic look.

LIBBY MCMILLAN / FLORIDA WEEKLY Go organic

Using florals is part of a larger 2008 trend that's coming from furnishings, interior design and even clothing: organic shapes from nature are huge. The trick when decorating a tree organically is deciding whether to go all-natural (pine cones and cinnamon sticks, for example), or to rely on the cornucopia of amazing re-creations on the market today.

We found a boggling variety of components from nature, peacock features being perhaps the most tantalizing. Shoppers will find bird nests, branches and twigs, butterflies, bird feathers and even small antlers with which to adorn their trees. In a happy twist on Charlie Brown's scraggly Christmas tree, less can now be more: some trees are built of twigs only, an alternative foundation for organic creativity.

Pheasant feathers are very popular this year," says Ms. Hollon, of goods used as what she calls 'tuckings' . . . those items tucked in and among the branches. By going to nature for inspiration, one can incorporate elements meaningful in regard to time and place. Someone with meaningful ties to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, for example, might choose to highlight a tree with bleached starfish and sand dollars. (Add crystals or rhinestones to a starfish and it becomes a collectible holiday ornament). Dried chiles will harken back to a favorite New Mexico vacation spot.

There may well be branches and berries in one's own back yard which will last throughout the holiday season, at no cost whatsoever. And here's a great idea:

Tiny paintings decorate this tree. "Twigs and glittery berries create a finished look for the tree top without resorting to the traditional star or angel," suggests Hollon.

Ms. Hollon shows off the remaining few trees from Norris' Holiday Spectacular Gala, which raised more than $30,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida. The event featured creatively decorated Christmas trees — by designers in many cases — which were auctioned and delivered to the winning bidders' homes.

Try a personal touch

Artist Carla Duris donated one of the show-stopping trees of the event, personalizing her tree to her own lifestyle. It was covered in tiny original oil paintings, some no larger than 2 inches across and larger ones near the tree's bottom. Each was framed, and signed by the artist, who is a respected faux finisher. Ms. Duris topped her tree with — what else? — a golden paintbrush.

Another neat trick is personalization of ornaments. Ms. Hollon points out Pamela McGehee's Tree of Hope, in which the designer took matte-finish Christmas balls and stenciled them in glittery gold with the words 'peace,' 'hope,' and 'kindness.' "You can also personalize them for your family," says Ms. Hollon, of the now-dressy ornaments. "Then you still have glamour, but a personal touch as well."

COURTESY PHOTO Red and white floral stems tucked into tree Glitter and metallics

It's hard to describe this year's ornaments and trimmings without using the word "glitter." It's everywhere: lights are far from being the sole source of sparkle on today's Christmas trees. One can now let his or her tree show off its inner diva: there are no holds barred when it comes to twinkle and shimmer. A popular look this year is to add so many sparkly accoutrements the tree itself is no longer visible. With today's economy giving one's traditional concept of abundance a kick in the pants, perhaps copious amounts of sparkly, spangly ornaments can help offset a lackluster stock portfolio. It's worth a shot.

There's a big push toward metallics right now, and the design trend — which spans everything from pillows to lamps to clothing — has made its way to the Christmas tree. Bronze and copper tree ornaments are all the rage: everything from baubles to bows to floral stems. Golds and burgundies blend especially well with the warm-toned metallics for a tree that's rich in depth of color.

The glitter can also be white, of course, in all its forms, and beautifully complements "crystal" snowflakes, all of which catch a tree's lights and magically disperse it. Adding a shimmery sheer garland, such as one made of tulle, really sets off the look, according to Ms. Hollon, who says that fabric (even remnants) can be artfully draped underneath a tree to substitute for the traditional tree skirt. "Leftover silk can be tucked and folded into a billowy base," she says. Another unique idea: put your tree in an urn, or unusual pot. The base can differ just as easily as the ornamentation does.

There's also no need to feel pressure to get gifts under the tree. Take boxes that have been discarded, wrap them in sparkly paper and ribbon, and tuck them under the tree right after you put it up. You'll have that ready-for-Christmas look in minutes.

Think in themes

Fort Myers Florist gives the term "Winter Wonderland" new meaning. Former owner Kevin King spent about a week and a half putting up all the trees and decorations in what is one of Fort Myers' most inspiring holiday environments.

"What we try to do is themes," says longtime staff member Linda Thayer, of the profusion of beautiful trees in the store's showroom area. "You can go with the traditional red and green," she says, pointing a tree loaded with candy canes, snowmen and typical holiday colors.

The showstopper tree at Fort Myers Florist may well be its Peacock Tree. Brimming with peacock feathers of both the natural and glittery variety, this tree is infused with matching peacock-feather ornamental balls, and countless dangling treasures in hues of blue and green.

Those readers who think out-of-the-box will go nuts for the store's Tropical Tree, which perfectly mimics an underwater setting. This amazing tree is a visual explosion of fish, seahorses, polka-dotted balls, seahorses, glittery dolphin and giant white spider lilies. One gets the oddest sensation, however, when looking for the tree itself, and not being able to see it. The answer lies in a wispy white wire tree being used as the base; it basically disappears beneath all the thinwire hung accessories which seem to "float" mid-air, thus giving the underwater sensation. Nearby are sea fan- and coral-shaped candles in aquamarine and turquoise.

The shop's "bronze area" boasts a tree loaded with glowing metallic ornaments, fairies, fabric balls, birds and jesters in bronze, copper, gold and burgundy.

Color themes are only limited by one's imagination. Ms. Hollon donated a little tree to the Holiday Spectacular which was done in a popular combination she calls "chocolate and sea-glass blue."

Themes, of course, can extend to any passion. One generous patron of Norris' Spectacular donated his collection of toys from McDonald's, including a rare Hamburglar doll as a tree-topper. Adults were just as taken by the toy-covered tree as any child would be; it fetched a high price and was kindly donated to the local Ronald McDonald House.

However one chooses to mix it up this year, there's certainly no need to be shy. When it comes to today's Christmas tree, anything goes.