ON ITS HEAD: When you’re shopping today, keep your eyes peeled
for those upside down Christmas trees we told you about a few days
ago.[neWLine]

At the time, we had been skeptical about the report we had heard
– surely, people would not be this crazed – but we’ve had multiple
confirmations in the interim.[neWLine]

Consider this report which appeared in the Nov. 8 edition of USA
Today:[neWLine]

“”Has your holiday imbibing gotten out of control so
soon?[neWLine]

“”Maybe that Christmas tree you saw really is upside down.
Upside-down trees are, well, turning the upcoming holiday on its
head.[neWLine]

“”Hammacher Schlemmer can’t even keep its $599.95 pre-lit model
in stock. It’s already sold out.[neWLine]

“”‘We increased the amount we ordered from last year, but ended
up selling all of them already,’ says Joe Jamrosz of Hammacher
Schlemmer.””[neWLine]

Other merchandisers were also unable to meet demand. The story
noted that these artificial trees are hung from the wall or
ceiling, or come with a weighted base to provide extra stability to
prevent tipping and leaning.[neWLine]

It quoted Sheryl Karas, author of The Solstice Evergreen: The
History, Folklore and Origins of the Christmas Tree, who said
upside-down trees are not new but, in fact, the revival of a
12th-century tradition in Central Europe.[neWLine]

While Karas believes the craze is purely decorative – a better
way to display ornaments – she’s more than a little leery about the
practice. She told the newspaper that, “”there’s something
sinister, almost bad, about it.””[neWLine]

She even had this to say: “”It’s a pagan thing. If they thought
about it, they wouldn’t turn it upside down.””[neWLine]

And not everyone is head over heels about the trend, according
to the story:[neWLine]

“”Tree Classics Inc. of Lake Barrington, Ill., claims to be the
top seller of artificial Christmas trees on the Internet – up 30
percent this year alone – but not a one of them is upside
down.[neWLine]

“”‘That tree makes no sense to me whatsoever,’ says Tree
Classics president Leon Gamze, who sells 59 styles of upright
trees. ‘I just look at them and laugh.”[neWLine]

But would he ever join the upside-down trend? “”‘Never. Wouldn’t
even consider it.'””[neWLine]

Meanwhile, we’ve seen a couple photos of these trees but haven’t
seen on in person yet.