You're reading: Want to skip Christmas tree? Here are some alternatives

The fresh scent of pine may be nice, but Christmas trees aren't practical for some people -- for example, pet owners. Here are some alternatives to cleaning up pine needles:

Sweet Christmas tree

Chocolate Christmas Tree is one of the quaint alternatives to an actual tree (Ukrinform).

Volkonsky confectionery offers edible Christmas trees made of macaroons and chocolate. To get one in time for Christmas, order at least three days in advance. The price depends on ingredients and can reach several thousand hryvnias. A cheaper option is to drop into Lviv Handmade Chocolate shop and buy small chocolate Santas or Christmas trees for Hr 69 to Hr 185 apiece.

Volkonsky bakery (www.wolkonsky.com), Lviv Handmade Chocolate (www.chocolate.lviv.ua)

Designer Christmas tree

Those who prefer original and creative interior décor might appreciate a wooden Christmas trees, sold for Hr 500 (height 27 centimeters) and Hr 600 (height 50 centimeters). There are also cute wooden lamps (Hr 500-700) made in the shapes of squirrels, deer, dogs and flowers.

Bureaucraft design studio (www.bureaucraftua.myshopify.com, [email protected])

Didukh

A didukh – a traditional Ukrainian decoration dating back to pre-Christian times – may be the way to go for traditionalists. For Ukrainians, didukh is a symbol of a good harvest, peace and harmony in the family and prosperity at home. A didukh is usually made of straw and can be from 70 to 90 centimeters in height. Traditionally, the master of the house would construct it from the first or the last stalks of wheat reaped during harvest. Today a didukh can be bought. Mariya Khandrus sells hand-made Christmas decorations that start at Hr 100. Skrynya online store sells didukh at a starting price of Hr 90.

Skrynya handmade goods online market (www.skrynya.ua), Mariya Khandrus ([email protected]), www.vk.com/diduh_lv

Christmas tree in a pot

It’s always sad to see discarded Christmas trees thrown into dumpsters after the holiday season, so why not buy a Christmas tree in a pot and be able to plant it in the courtyard after the holidays? Recently, KyivZelenBud, a Kyiv municipal landscape firm, started selling fir trees in pots through an events firm website. The cost depends on the height of the tree. The smallest tree (50-70 centimeters) goes for Hr 550 while the tallest (160-170 centimeters) can cost up to Hr 4,500.

www.sv-empire.com.ua/novorichna-yalinka-dlya-vasho…

Handmade Christmas tree

A really creative, handmade Christmas tree helps kill several birds with one stone – express creativity, save money and the environment. When space is limited, and it’s not convenient to move furniture around to accommodate a real tree, one can lay out a tree outline on a wall with Christmas decorations and string lights. Another option is to make a Christmas tree out of books. For a book Christmas tree, stack books one on top of the other, starting wider at the base and getting smaller to the top to make the shape of a fir tree.