Conde Nast Traveler's collection of The Most Unusual Christmas Trees
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK CITY
What this 13-foot-tall tree lacks in stature it makes up for in history (the tradition goes back more than 30 years) and workmanship: Preparation starts in July, when volunteers begin folding the 500-plus origami ornaments into shapes inspired by present and past exhibits.
KAUNAS, LITHUANIA
This tree may be green, but it’s no ordinary spruce. The tree in Kaunas, Lithuania, is made of more than 40,000 recycled plastic bottles.
LISBON, PORTUGAL
In lieu of decorations this 90-foot-tall techie tree (Europe's tallest five years running) uses real-time video projections of passersby and images of bells and angels.
MOUNT INGINO, ITALY
Nearly 3,000 lights are strung together to form a Christmas tree shape on the slopes of Mount Ingino, just outside of Gubbio, Italy. The giant tannenbaummeasures nearly 2,130 feet tall.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
The view of Rio de Janeiro’s harbor alone is usually enough to draw in a crowd, but during the holiday season it’s the 280-foot-tall floating tree that commands attention. The tree—as tall as a 28-story building—floats in the middle of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. During a light show, the tree's design changes to represent the four seasons: Simulated falling leaves signify autumn, stark white stands in for winter, flowers illuminate for spring, and bright yellow portrays a sunny summer day.
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
It's hard to ignore this 190-foot-tall tree in Sao Paulo's Ibirapuero Park: A total of 500 bulbs and 12,000 feet of LED lighting give the holiday icon a futuristic glow.
TOKYO, JAPAN
This insanely decadent Christmas tree took 10 craftsmen two months to complete—and it's no wonder. The eight-foot-tall revolving tree is made of 40 kilograms of pure gold and is decorated with the silhouettes of 50 popular Disney characters. Jeweler Ginza Tanaka will sell it to you for $4.2 million. Not in your budget? A 10-inch version has a $240,000 price tag.
VENICE, ITALY
No surprise here: Venice is home to the largest glass Christmas tree in the world. Internationally renowned glassblower Simone Cenedese, known for his Murano glass sculptures and installations, designed the 24-foot-tall tree with 1,000 multicolored tubes.
