Christmas trees , along with mistletoe and gay coronal , are an integral part of the December vacation time of year . Although conifers such as fir , pine , and spruce are the most popular Christmas trees , some people around the country flip it up and decorate with unconventional option . From trees made of cacti to whiskey barrel , fructify your sights on these eight regional alternatives to traditional Christmas trees .
1. CACTI // ARIZONA
Arizona’sSonoran Desertis known for many change of cacti , from the saguaro to the thorny pear tree . Some families in the southwest incorporated native cacti into their Christmas solemnisation , but a hotel in Tuscon takes it to another level . Each Christmassince 1986 , the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa has displayed a Golden Barrel Cactus Christmas tree , made of 17 rows of 300 of the small , round cacti . The 24 - foot tree is decorated with regal ribbons and lights .
2. SAND // FLORIDA
Given their land ’s year - round warm temperatures , Floridians are much more intimate with George Sand than nose candy . As a nod to the Sunshine State ’s strong weather condition , some Floridians celebrate Christmas by lighting a tree made of sand . Along the West Palm Beach Waterfront , sand sculpturer make a 35 - groundwork tall Christmas tree diagram made entirely of George Sand . NicknamedSandi , the tree librate a whopping 600 wads .
3. POINSETTIAS // SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Poinsettias are popular Christmas decorations everywhere , but Southern Californians show their honey for the Mexican works in a limited way . house physician of San Diego gathering in theLittle Italyneighborhood to wonder at a poinsettia tree . One thousand local poinsettia flora are pile to make a 25 - foot Christmas tree diagram that is then clothe with 1000 of carefully placed light-emitting diode lights .
4. LOBSTER TRAPS // NEW ENGLAND
Why decorate a conifer when you could build a Christmas tree out of 100 of lobster traps ? The crustacean is a heavy part of life in New England , and you could find lobster trap Christmas trees in towns such as Gloucester , Massachusetts and Rockland , Maine . The tree diagram typically lie of wooden or metal lobster traps that arestacked uponone another , and then topped with a traditional star or , fittingly , a lobster figurine .
5. OLD SKIS // COLORADO
Rather than throw out their old ski , some Coloradans donate them for Telluride ’s Christmas ski tree . Since 2013 , members of the ski township have make a tree made of colorfullayers of skis , crown with a superstar made of ski pole . Locals even pile up for a tree diagram kindling ceremony and bonfire — they fire Sir Henry Joseph Wood and composition board ski to celebrate Ullr , the Norse graven image of skiing .
6. PALMETTOS // SOUTH CAROLINA
If you visit Charleston during Christmas , you ’ll see plenty offestive palmetto treesdecorated with string visible light . As the res publica tree of South Carolina ( and Florida ) , the palmetto is all over the metropolis , making it an ideal warm - atmospheric condition alternative to the evergreen plant . Although most residents celebrate Christmas with traditional coniferous tree , too , the prevalence of beautify palmettos is hard to ignore .
7. TUMBLEWEEDS // ARIZONA
Tumbleweeds are plentiful in the devoid , barren parts of the southwestward . And in Chandler , Arizona , locals have used tumbleweeds to celebrate Christmas since 1957 . To make the 30 - foot - tall tumbleweed tree diagram , Chandler Park Operations employee gather 1000 Russian cactus , attach the plantsto a tree diagram - mould conducting wire frame , and spray the tree diagram with bloodless blusher and glitter . They then decorate the tree diagram with more than one thousand festal lighter .
8. WHISKEY BARRELS // TENNESSEE
The Jack Daniel ’s Distillery is world - notable for making unquestionable Tennessee whisky . Thanks to the alcohol company , members of the Lynchburg community can lionise the holidays by marveling at the companionship ’s whiskey drum tree . Made of 140 emptywhiskey barrels , the tree diagram stand at 26 animal foot and weighs 16,000 pounds .
