No Tannenbaum

Natural beauties

It’s that time of year again when Riversiders decorate their homes with all manner of holiday festoonery — most commonly with Christmas trees. Yaaawwn! … I’m not a fan. All that tinsel, those ornaments, the twinkly lights, the skirt, flocking (shudder) … I’ve just never found Christmas trees to be as enchanting as it seems most people find them to be. With the exception of the ironical, purposely tacky/kitschy/ugly Xmas tree, I just find them a tiresome eyesore. (Of course, I don’t mean your tree — yours is gorgeous.) So, as an alternative to what I find a seasonal blight I’d like to propose the trees in this post. Each one is beyond-festive, completely natural and truly a sight for sore eyes. No, the colors aren’t in keeping with the usual red/green formula, but I think their crimson and gold hues would have us forgetting all that soon enough … not convinced? Check the following exuberant examples, which were, like the trees above, photographed in local neighborhoods Sunday morning …

New color scheme

See what I mean? Note how the cool winter sun turns golden foliage molten … how it sets red leaves afire, transforming them into scarlet, crimson, deepest coral and ruby.

Riches

Could this tree’s over-accessorized conical cousin ever come close to its cascade of gold coins?

Wow!

How many strings of lights would be needed to rival the eye-popping spectacle of this volcanic display of red-orange?

My plan to replace the traditional Christmas tree with these examples does need some work. Like, I don’t know what many of these trees are called, how they’d get through the front door, whether their colorful canopies will be intact on the big day, or what people should do with all those Snoopy ornaments. Still, I’d love a change … are you with me?