We’ve all heard that good things come in small packages, and I found living proof recently, the town of Brevard.
While my husband and I were planning a trip to Biltmore, in Asheville, North Carolina, to see the Christmas decorations, I found mention of an Aluminum Christmas Tree exhibit in the nearby town of Brevard, population 7000+. Never one to miss a laugh, I put that destination on our to-do list. Sure enough, after all the charm and culture of Asheville, we were ready for a touch of tacky.
So, we hopped in the car for the 60-mile round trip from Ashville. First stop: the Transylvania (yes, that’s the county’s real name, but no vampires in sight) Heritage Museum housing the shiny trees. The collection has quite a history. It seems that one Stephen Jackson, while living in Charlotte, North Carolina, was given an aluminum Christmas tree by a friend, scavenged from someone’s trash.
Mr. Jackson then threw a party, inviting guests to bring their most “Aesthetically Challenged Seasonal Ornament” for his new tree. The party was a hit and a tradition was born. Just before Christmas of 1993, Jackson moved to Brevard and threw another ornament party to meet people.
By 1998, he owned seven trees and over the years, friends continued to add to his collection with trees found in dusty attics or bought at flea markets.
“It was just too many trees to fit in my house,” recalled Mr. Jackson. So he hosted a one-day exhibit at the local American Legion Hall, and over 100 people showed up!
Ever popular, the trees are now displayed annually, November through December, at the museum, with help from 25 volunteers who assemble and decorate them.
So called “Evergleams” first appeared in the late 1950’s and were in their heyday during the ‘60’s with models like “Silver Glow,” “The Sparkler” and “Holi-gay.” Certain creative owners aimed revolving lights at their shiny trees to make them change colors.
After viewing the trees, we chuckled at the clever posters about aluminum Christmas tree farms. “In a good year, the trees grow even bigger than hoped.” According to another poster, “Success in the growing process is 5% following instructions and 95% dumb luck.”
What a treat to find a small town with a big sense of humor! Apparently we Old Schoolers aren’t the only ones who like a good laugh!
For more info on these kitschy collectibles, go to www.AntiqueTrader.com and search aluminum Christmas trees
For info about the museum, go to: www.transylvaniaheritage.org or https://explorebrevard.com.
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