You are reading

Trend Alert: The Foraged Christmas Branch

SearchJoinLogin
Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Trend Alert: The Foraged Christmas Branch

SearchJoinLogin
Advertisement

Trend Alert: The Foraged Christmas Branch

December 12, 2023

We’ve been noting the slow rise of sparse-chic, Charlie Brown-style Christmas trees in the homes of trendsetters the past few years. But these versions—large, artful, completely foliage-free branches decorated with colorful ornaments and lights—may be the sparsest and chicest of all (not to mention most eco-conscious).

We spotted the festive branches on designer Amy Ilias’ Instagram account recently and reached out to learn the what, why, and how behind her arresting holiday decor. Read on to find out how to make your own.

Photography by Amy Ilias.

Amy and her husband, artist Jim Denney, started the tradition of the holiday branch back in \20\10. Their first &#8\2\20;was a large branch that Jim C-clamped to our dining table in Brooklyn. It was very humble, kind of sad, and very much inspired by Charlie Brown’s tree. It was a way of re-entering festivity after a long and difficult personal stretch,&#8\2\2\1; shares Amy. After moving into a large Victorian in the Hudson Valley (see the house tour here), they transitioned to much larger, free-standing branches.
Above: Amy and her husband, artist Jim Denney, started the tradition of the holiday branch back in 2010. Their first “was a large branch that Jim C-clamped to our dining table in Brooklyn. It was very humble, kind of sad, and very much inspired by Charlie Brown’s tree. It was a way of re-entering festivity after a long and difficult personal stretch,” shares Amy. After moving into a large Victorian in the Hudson Valley (see the house tour here), they transitioned to much larger, free-standing branches.
The branches are each secured to planks of wood with long screws. Large stones weigh down the planks. &#8\2\20;During the Covid pandemic, we had a tradition: Jim would read to me while I did jigsaw puzzles at the coffee table. It was around the holidays, and he was reading Richard Power’s beautiful book The Overstory . It was that reading, and listening to Hans Christian Andersen’s &#8\2\16;The Fir Tree&#8\2\17; for the millionth time on NPR that made my decision to commit to fallen branches,&#8\2\2\1; says Amy.
Above: The branches are each secured to planks of wood with long screws. Large stones weigh down the planks. “During the Covid pandemic, we had a tradition: Jim would read to me while I did jigsaw puzzles at the coffee table. It was around the holidays, and he was reading Richard Power’s beautiful book The Overstory [a novel about trees and the interconnectedness of everything]. It was that reading, and listening to Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Fir Tree’ for the millionth time on NPR that made my decision to commit to fallen branches,” says Amy.
Amy decorates the branches with colorful ornaments, beads, and, of course, string lights.
Above: Amy decorates the branches with colorful ornaments, beads, and, of course, string lights.
Above: Pictured on the left are the branches they foraged for the 2021 holidays. Pictured on the right is where they found those branches that year: in a brush pile next to a parking lot near their home. “We have a very small car, so our parameter is that we need to be able to carry it home,” says Amy. “The other is that it needs to be fallen. We usually find the branches in brush piles on vacant lots. Maybe someday we will get an old pickup and our range will expand.”
A few days after we connected with Amy about her branches, they came crashing down, likely from one of the couple&#8\2\17;s three overzealous cats. Curiosity killed the Christmas branch. &#8\2\20;A bunch of ornament and branch casualties. Practicing non attachment,&#8\2\2\1; she wrote on Instagram.
Above: A few days after we connected with Amy about her branches, they came crashing down, likely from one of the couple’s three overzealous cats. Curiosity killed the Christmas branch. “A bunch of ornament and branch casualties. Practicing non attachment,” she wrote on Instagram.
The suspects.
Above: The suspects.

To see Amy and Jim’s inspiring home, check out The Lavender Ghost: In the Hudson Valley, a Creative Couple’s Victorian Home with an Old Soul.

To see their garden, go to Before & After: A Creative Couple’s Daring Garden Do-Over in Upstate New York.

(Visited 12,069 times, 1 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.
For a mobile-first version of this post, check out this content as a web story, or browse all our web stories.

Frequently asked questions

The trend of foraged Christmas branch tree involves using branches and foliage from the outdoors to create a unique and natural Christmas tree alternative.

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation (1)

v5.0