Other than a live Christmas tree, a retro aluminum tree — like reader BusyBhive’s tree, above, from our uploader Tinselmania: 73 vintage aluminum Christmas trees — is one of the most authentically vintage ways to decorate for the holidays. Golly, do we love our aluminum Christmas trees! Unless you are lucky enough to have one that’s been in the family for years, you’ll have to do a little searching to locate one of these tinsel beauties. I’ve scoured the internet and racked my brain to bring you this list of 6 places to find vintage and reproduction aluminum Christmas trees to add a little — no, a lotta! — sparkle to your holiday decor.
Please note, my list only includes real aluminum trees – not tinsel ones or ones made from plastic with some sort of metallic coating — but those look pretty nice these days, too!
Above: Reader MrsErinD’s retro 60’s aluminum tree.
Where to find new reproduction aluminum Christmas trees
1. Amazon
Alas, within the past decade there was a company out of North Dakota that sold wonderful looking aluminum Christmas trees, but it dropped out of site a few years ago.
Right now (holiday 2019), the only aluminum tree I can find made new is on Amazon (shown below in the selling widget).
Where to find authentic vintage aluminum Christmas trees
2. Ebay
That leaves us with: Vintage. There are — of course — a wealth of vintage aluminum Christmas trees to be had on Ebay. Many different styles, heights, colors and branch types — For example: Vintage Pom Poms, like reader Drew’s above, are hot hotter hottest. While there are still some bargains to be had on Ebay, be prepared to shell out some of the green stuff — some vintage trees can fetch several hundred dollars at auction.
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But if you love vintage you might love this video — How to Make a Christmas ornament wreath — too:
Piece together a tree from vintage parts
Tip, including from readers: You can also buy Just Branches and Just Poles (or drill your own pole, although that likely will take skillz) and try to put together your own tree from parts. Yes: On ebay and other sites, some sellers harvest the branches and sell them.
3. Etsy
A variety of vintage aluminum trees can also be found on etsy.com, and you bypass the frustrations of an auction. Once again, sizes, colors, styles and price points vary widely. Above: Reader modshawn found his gorgeous vintage hunka metal on etsy.
4. Facebook Marketplace:
One of my new favorite places to shop due to its ease of seeing photographs and changing location selections to cast a wider net.
5. Craigslist
… Is always worth checking. I use SearchTempest to widen my search — I think there are other such sites that help you do the same.
Don’t forget: You can also post a “wanted” ad — someone in your local area may have one on their basement or attic they are happy to get rid of. I got one of my aluminum trees — along with some vintage ornaments to go with — that way!
6. The hunt: Estate sales, yard sales, vintage shops, Craigslist & “Mom’s attic”
I can’t say for sure, but I’m guessing blogger Uncle Atom probably got his aluminum Christmas tree (above) from one of these sources. There are some real deals to be had on vintage aluminum Christmas trees — most likely you will find the best deals available when you are on the prowl at estate sales, yard sales, vintage shops, craigslist and everybody’s favorite — family attics and basements. The best time to do your aluminum tree hunting in the off season — when prices aren’t driven up by holiday demand and folks are doing their annual house purges.
Pam adds that, while she generally does not go to estate sales early (because she has way more than “enough” stuff already,) if you are on the hunt specifically for vintage Christmas, this might be a reason to get up early, grab a cuppa and get in line. Conversely, though, in the dead of summer, when folks just aren’t in the holiday mood, she often sees vintage Christmas decorations still available in the final hours of the sale at half-price, or better. Throw everything in a big box and ask very very nicely, “How much?” and you might be surprised by the price you are quoted to take the stuff off the estate sale organizer’s hands.
Particularly collectible aluminum Christmas trees:
While you’re on the hunt, why not look for rare aluminum Christmas trees — like Lori’s Evergleam Peacock tree. As you can see from the photo above, it stands flat on one plane, with the branches arrayed like the tale of a peacock. See more photos of Lori’s wonderful tree story here.
- We’ve also seen Stainless Steel Christmas trees!
- There are colored aluminum Christmas trees!
- And I have a small aluminum Christmas tree that is, like 180 degrees full — like an orange cut in half — that is meant to hang on a door like a wreath. I need to assemble it and get a photo up!
No matter where you find your vintage (or new) aluminum Christmas tree — REMEMBER — these types of trees were not made for electric lights. Remember: NOEL – NO Electric Lights on aluminum Christmas trees …. AND: Be aware that vintage products may contain various hazards, such as asbestos in flocking and fake snow and lead paint on old ornaments, etc. When dealing with old materials, get with a properly licensed professional to know what you are dealing with. Read more – Be Safe / Renovate Safe.
Diane in CO says
I love these aluminum trees but don’t (yet) own one. Here’s another source:
Saturday I went down to Littleton south of Denver to my favorite Christmas phantasmagoria store, St. Nick’s. It’s over the top! Two stories of room after room packed — I mean PACKED –with wreaths, trees, garlands, ornaments, ribbons, stockings, candles, lights, and any kind of Christmas decoration you could imagine, and yes, they have artificial trees of every size and texture which includes aluminum trees – in 7′ and 5′ sizes. The owners have their own vintage pom-pom stunner decorated and on display over the stairwell — but it’s not for sale of course. The new ones don’t measure up, IMHO — but they are available from St. Nicks for anyone looking for a source. Expensive, however. Hope my link works!
Dan says
I’ve had aluminum trees for years now. They really can’t be beat for campy Christmas cheer.
For a fun, Eco-friendly twist on the color wheel, get one (or two, or three!) of the new LED “party bulbs” that change color. They use much less energy, are much cooler to the touch, and fit nicely in those color wheels where the motor has burned out. Same retro look, much for dramatic effect.
pam kueber says
SEE COMMENT BELOW about potential for fire hazard: Be sure to consult with a licensed pro first!
John Taylor says
Wow, Pam I have been a fan of yours for a few years, and now I feel like the hyfaluten elite that you would take the time out of your day to respond to my posting. YEAHH RAHH. John Taylor
pam kueber says
🙂
Dan says
You do NOT want to put any kind of dimmer on a motor! Fire alert!
Besides, you don’t need to – rotating Christmas Tree bases are readily available. The rest of the tree idea sounds great.
cebette says
Tracie, I love the ceramic trees as well! My grandma always had hers on top of her tv. When she died, I was the only one of her 11 children and 40 plus grandchildren who had any any interest in it. I have been happily displaying it and thinking of her for the past 11 Christmases!
Min says
My mother has a color wheel that she’s used to light the front door ever since I was a kid. It still works fine, but the colored plastic sheets are getting pretty tattered. And ideas on replacing them? It’s the kind of wheel with an aluminum frame and then different colored pie pieces made of like a thick cellophane.
hannah says
Min –
If you search on eBay you can find sellers that have pieces of the color wheels up for auction or sale. You just have to ferret out which plastic inserts would actually fit your wheel.
Good luck!
Scott says
Gasp. The link to the vintage ALCOA decorating guide on the Yuletide Expressions site is priceless. An all-silver tree with TWO dualing color wheels as shown on the bottom of page 3 really has me thinking silver tree!
Scott says
Okay, I couldn’t stand it anymore and have a little 2 foot tree on the way! Can’t wait!
Although I’m completely blown away by the vintage color wheels (between the numerous unique designs and fantastic boxes and names these could warrant collecting unto themselves) I thought one of these would probably overwhelm my little 2 footer. So what I’m going to try is one of the little 6″ Phillips Color Changing lights.
The newer model number has a speed control on the color change selector so I’m thinking this might just work. The styling of these reminds me quite a bit of the small round “eyeball” lights that were an alternative to the color wheels back in the day too.
Sherree says
I purchased my 7 ft. aluminum tree on Ebay last spring (off season) for $120. That price included shipping. I think the trees over 6 feet are a little less common. Most I have seen are 4-6 feet.
I purchased my color wheel for $1 at an estate sale being run by the grandson, He did not know what is was; I had to tell him.
I also purchased a metal revolving musical tree stand at another estate sale for $5 and still works perfectly.
I cannot wait to put it all up next week 🙂
Heidi says
I got my first Aluminum Christmas tree at an antique mall for $30. I got another one at an estate sale for $18 and then combined the two. I absolutely love it and I have collected vintage ornaments, tree toppers and vintage villages etc.. for years. I have actually just pared down on some things but I keep collecting vintage cmas lights and ornaments because I like to make wreaths and Christmas pictures from them. We get a real tree each year for the kids and we all love to decorate that tree together but the aluminum tree is my special treat!
hannah says
Go GREEN! Buy aluminum! GO GREEN! Buy ‘recycled’!!! Support the little man, and buy used! 😀
I feel lucky. I purchased a 5ft vintage aluminum tree from eBay about 5 years ago (after watching for many) for $50 from a seller in Canada. I can’t remember the name, but it has it’s original box, all branches, all branch sleeves. It was one of those times on eBay when ‘the wind is at your back’ and no one else is watching the item you’re watching. I was the only bidder.
My Dad was the more modern thinker of the family. He chose the danish modern furniture, he chose the aluminum Christmas tree. It was about 1962-63 when we got the tree. As some other member notes, I remember my brother and myself laying on the floor under the tree looking up at all the colors from the wheel changing on the silver metallic branches. It WAS magical!
Sadly, it only took about 3 years of that before we all started bellyaching for a real tree with the pine smell. I have no idea what happened to that aluminum tree. Trash or given away I suppose.
Every time I decorate our aluminium tree now, I look up and say “This is for you, Dad.” 🙂
Amanda says
I found my Aluminum Christmas tree on eBay a few years ago. It does look like the auction prices don’t go as high, on off holiday months. I also found my color wheel (a new reproduction) on eBay too. My tree isn’t in the best of shape nor as sparkly as I’d like, but I think I won the auction for $75, so I can’t complain too much.
Craigslist is a good option too. I’ve seen some nice aluminum trees on the Atlanta craigslist awhile back.
Eartha Kitsch says
Oh, I love them sooooo much! I haven’t been able to put mine up in years due to kitties. They try to eat them. Let me note that if anyone has pets and they see their pets taking even a *tiny* interest in chewing on the tree, take that tree down or close it off in a room. I know a couple of people who’ve had to take their pets to the emergency vet for expensive surgeries because of them. You don’t want your pets ingesting bits of metal. Okay, I’m a total buzz-kill but it’s true. : )
gsciencechick says
Yes, the tinsel is not kitty-friendly at all. We are a tinsel-free home. Just too much risk.
Cathy says
yes, I can’t put mine up because of my kitties too 🙁