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Christmas trees

Inspirations, The Latest Buzz

Winterthur Wonderland

winterthur-yuletide

This time last year we had the pleasure of visiting Winterthur during Yuletide, which the H. F. du Ponts celebrated in their home during the first half of the 20th century.  As we strolled through the house, we marveled at the decorations and the beautiful trees, many inspired by the estate’s gardens.  One gorgeous tree was made of dried flowers gathered on the property throughout the spring and summer…

Diane and The Dried Flower Tree

Diane and the Dried Flower Tree

Dried and True

Dried and True

while another honored the earliest blossoming bulbs of spring with daffodils, crocus and snowdrops.

Delightful Daffodil and Snowdrop Tree

Delightful Daffodil and Snowdrop Tree

One of our favorite trees was bedecked with a bounty of beautiful butterflies.

Butterfly Beauty

Butterfly Beauty

Can We Say "Bedazzled"?

Can We Say "Bedazzled"?

Even the enormous conservatory was home to a tall spruce trimmed in the traditional way with lights and colorful Christmas balls, a mass of red poinsettias at its base like a lush living tree skirt.

Festive and Fun

Festive and Fun

We’ve visited many historic homes during the holiday season but none seemed to capture the festive fun and sparkle as well as Winterthur.  So while we’re still trying to come up with a theme for our holiday decor, we hope these trees might inspire you to turn your homes into winter wonderlands, too!

Photos from Winterthur

Inspirations

Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Many years ago, Diane had the pleasure of decorating a 13-foot fresh balsam Christmas tree for Guy Trebay of The New York Times, about which he wrote in a wonderful Sunday Styles cover story.  Guy described her talent for decking the halls as “lavish yet somehow restrained.”  Using Guy’s “oddball ornaments” (which he has gathered over a lifetime of exotic travel), 20 strands of white electric lights, 12 dozen ornamental fruits and many yards of orange silk taffeta, Diane turned the tree into a Yuletide work of art.

Diane James Trims a Tree for The New York Times

Diane James Trims a Tree for The New York Times

The tradition of decorating evergreen trees and using boughs or evergreen shrubs is rooted in pagan ritual – holly, mistletoe, laurel and boxwood were often brought inside to promote good cheer and hope.  But as natural as it seems today, tree decorating to celebrate Christmas has been a controversial custom throughout history.

Carolyne Roehm's Colorful Tree

Carolyne Roehm's Colorful Tree

The association between decorating with evergreens and the pagan celebration of Saturnalia (celebrated at the same time of year) led to the Church banning such practices in the third century.  John Calvin, in the sixteenth century, sought to remove Christmas from the Christian calendar altogether as he thought such celebrations promoted “irreligious frivolity.”

Mary McDonald Tree in Veranda

Mary McDonald Tree in Veranda

The Puritans in England followed suit and it wasn’t until the mid-nineteenth century, thanks to Prince Albert, that Christmas tree decorating achieved its present status in England.  Now it seems that Christmas trees are an integral part of Holiday decorating, even in cultures that don’t celebrate the Christian faith.

Red and Gold Tree in Southern Accents

Red and Gold Tree in Southern Accents

As for us, we love thematic trees and each year we try something different – ribbons and bows one year, floral pins and branches the next.  This year, we want to highlight a single color with balls, ornaments and garlands but with all this beautiful inspiration, which one to choose?

Pretty Pink Tree in Country Living

Pretty Pink Tree in Country Living

Photos from The New York Times, Veranda, Southern Accents, and Country Living