Cultural Significance
The aluminum Christmas tree was used as a symbol of the over-commercialization of Christmas in the 1965 Peanuts holiday special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. The program is considered a classic amongst Christmas specials, and its mention of the aluminum tree solidified the tree's legendary status while satirizing it as well. Peanuts character "Lucy" implored Charlie Brown to get a "big, shiny aluminum tree...maybe painted pink." Charlie lamented the commercialization of the true meaning of Christmas, ignored his friend's request, and purchased a small, scrawny natural tree instead.
The re-emergent popularity of aluminum Christmas trees has allowed them to find their way into museum collections. One example is the Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum (officially known as the Aluminum Tree and Aesthetically Challenged Seasonal Ornament Museum and Research Center. The museum, variously located in Brevard or Asheville, North Carolina was called "campy" by Fodor's in 2009. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis holds a vintage aluminum Christmas tree and color wheel in its collections. The Wisconsin Historical Museum has held the "'Tis the Season" exhibition at least twice, featuring a collection of vintage aluminum Christmas trees.
Read more about this topic: Aluminum Christmas Tree
Famous quotes containing the words cultural and/or significance:
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