Editing Christmas tree (section)

===Artificial trees===

{{Main|Artificial Christmas tree}}
[[File:Christmas Tree at Home.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|An artificial Christmas tree]]

The first artificial Christmas trees were developed in Germany during the 19th century,<ref name="forbes">{{cite book |author=Bruce David Forbes |title=Christmas: A Candid History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ap8unt4cP54C&pg=PA121 |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |year=2007 |pages=121–22 |isbn=978-0-5202-5104-5}}</ref><ref name="hewitt">{{cite book |first=James |last=Hewitt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CXdxIt-ZBFgC&pg=PA34 |title=The Christmas Tree |publisher=Lulu.com |year=2007 |pages=33–36 |isbn=978-1-4303-0820-1 }}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}} though earlier examples exist.<ref name="perkins"/> These "trees" were made using goose feathers that were dyed green,<ref name="forbes"/> as one response by Germans to continued [[deforestation]].<ref name="hewitt"/> [[Feather Christmas trees]] ranged widely in size, from a small {{convert|2|in|cm|0|adj=on|order=flip|sp=us}} tree to a large {{convert|98|in|m|adj=on|order=flip|sp=us}} tree sold in department stores during the 1920s.<ref name="silverthorne">{{cite book|first=Elizabeth |last=Silverthorne |title=Christmas in Texas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9G-58ECNgTUC&pg=PA62 |publisher=Texas A&M University Press |year=1994 |page=62 |isbn=978-0-8909-6578-8}}</ref> Often, the tree branches were tipped with artificial red berries which acted as [[candlestick|candle holders]].<ref name="marling">{{cite book |author=Karal Ann Marling |title=Merry Christmas!: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUc13_ourtYC&pg=PA58 |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=2000 |pages=58–62 |isbn=978-0-674-00318-7 }}</ref>

Over the years, other styles of artificial Christmas trees have evolved and become popular. In 1930, the U.S.-based Addis Brush Company created the first artificial Christmas tree made from [[brush]] bristles.<ref name="cole">{{cite book |first=Peter |last=Cole |title=Christmas Trees: Fun and Festive Ideas |url=https://archive.org/details/christmastreesfu0000cole_c7m9 |url-access=registration |publisher=Chronicle Books |year=2002 |page=[https://archive.org/details/christmastreesfu0000cole_c7m9/page/23 23] |isbn=978-0-8118-3577-0 }}</ref> Another type of artificial tree is the [[aluminum Christmas tree]],<ref name="hewitt"/> first manufactured in [[Chicago]] in 1958,<ref name="baltsun">{{cite news |first=Cassandra A. |last=Fortin |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2008/10/26/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-1958/ |title=It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (1958) |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=26 October 2008 |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211015818/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2008-10-26/news/0810230187_1_trees-aluminum-color |archive-date=11 December 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and later in [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin]], where the majority of the trees were produced.<ref name="andrews">{{cite book |author=Candice Gaukel Andrews |title=Great Wisconsin Winter Weekends |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OlmGjEU7qU4C&pg=PA178 |publisher=Big Earth Publishing |year=2006 |page=178 |isbn=978-1-9315-9971-9 }}</ref> Most modern artificial Christmas trees are made from plastic recycled from used packaging materials, such as [[polyvinyl chloride]] (PVC).<ref name="hewitt"/> Approximately 10% of artificial Christmas trees are using virgin suspension PVC resin; despite being plastic most artificial trees are not recyclable or biodegradable.<ref name="livescience">{{cite web |url=http://www.livescience.com/3132-fake-christmas-trees-green.html |title=Fake Christmas Trees Not So Green |first=Jennifer |last=Berry |work=[[LiveScience]] |date=9 December 2008 |access-date=18 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104082038/http://www.livescience.com/3132-fake-christmas-trees-green.html |archive-date=4 January 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Trends developed in the early 2000s included [[optical fiber]] Christmas trees, which come in two major varieties; one resembling a traditional Christmas tree.<ref name="howstuff">{{cite web |first=Katherine |last=Neer |url=http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/christmas-tree7.htm |title=How Christmas Trees Work |work=[[howStuffWorks]] |date=December 2006 |access-date=21 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224133748/http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/christmas-tree7.htm |archive-date=24 December 2008 }}</ref> One [[Dallas]]-based company offers "holographic mylar" trees in many hues.<ref name="perkins">{{cite web |first=Broderick |last=Perkins |url=http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20031212_fauxtree.htm |title=Faux Christmas Tree Crop Yields Special Concerns |work=Realty Times |date=12 December 2003 |access-date=21 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908040211/http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20031212_fauxtree.htm |archive-date=8 September 2008 }}</ref> Tree-shaped objects made from such materials as cardboard,<ref name="popmech">{{cite journal |title=Table-top Christmas Tree |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-9oDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA117 |journal=[[Popular Mechanics]] |date=January 1937 |page=117 }}</ref> glass,<ref name="diablo">{{cite web |url=http://www.diabloglassschool.com/hotshopclassdetails/holidaytrees.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120215734/http://www.diabloglassschool.com/hotshopclassdetails/holidaytrees.htm |archive-date=20 November 2008 |title=Glass Christmas Tree, one-day course listing |publisher=Diablo Glass School |access-date=21 December 2008 }}</ref> ceramic or other materials can be found in use as tabletop decorations. Upside-down artificial Christmas trees became popular for a short time and were originally introduced as a marketing gimmick; they allowed consumers to get closer to ornaments for sale in retail stores and opened up floor space for more products.<ref name="npr">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5006258 |title=Demand Grows for Upside Down Christmas Tree |format=Audio |work=[[All Things Considered]] |publisher=[[NPR]] |date=9 November 2005 |access-date=21 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218101909/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5006258 |archive-date=18 December 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Artificial trees became increasingly popular during the late 20th century.<ref name="hewitt"/> Users of artificial Christmas trees assert that they are more convenient, and, because they are reusable, much cheaper than their natural alternative.<ref name="hewitt"/> They are also considered much safer,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://firstaid.about.com/od/injuriesathome/qt/06_xmastree.htm |title=Christmas Tree Safety |publisher=[[About.com]] |access-date=20 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107234602/http://firstaid.about.com/od/injuriesathome/qt/06_xmastree.htm |archive-date=7 January 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> as natural trees can be a significant fire hazard. Between 2001 and 2007, artificial Christmas tree sales in the U.S. jumped from 7.3 million to 17.4 million.<ref name="hayes">{{cite news |author=Sharon Caskey Hayes |url=http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9009208 |title=Grower says real Christmas trees are better for environment than artificial ones |work=Kingsport Times-News |location=Kingsport, Tennessee |date=26 November 2008 |access-date=21 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627211924/http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9009208 |archive-date=27 June 2010 }}</ref> Currently, it is estimated that around 58% of Christmas trees used in the United States are artificial, while numbers in the United Kingdom are indicated to be around 66%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://christmastreesource.com/|title=Christmas Tree Resource: Your Source On Xmas Decorations|website=Christmas Tree Source|language=en-US|access-date=8 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808234749/http://christmastreesource.com/|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" heights="150px" caption="Artificial trees">

File:Fiber-optic Christmas tree.jpg|A tree with fibre optic lights
File:White christmas tree.jpg|White Christmas tree
File:Antique feather tree2.jpg|Antique feather tree
File:Detail of artificial Christmas tree with flocking.jpg|Detail of artificial tree with flocking
File:Aluminum Christmas tree2.jpg|An [[Aluminum Christmas tree]]
File:Display of artificial Christmas trees.jpg|Artificial Christmas tree display
File:Limbs detached from an artificial Christmas tree.jpg|Detached limbs 
</gallery>