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One of the fun elements of "One Mad Christmas" was adding an "Aluminum Christmas Tree" to the set of "J.J.'s."
"A Charlie Brown Christmas," which was first broadcast in December of 1965, is considered by some to be the beginning of the downward spiral of the aluminum tree's popularity in American homes. In the setting of our musical (1960), however, the trees were still in vogue.
My Grandmother had one when I was little and I remember being fascinated with the "color wheel" and the way the silver branches changed colors as the wheel turned. I still think they're kind of cool. :)
The "Aluminum Christmas Tree" is not absolutely essential for performing the musical, but it is a fun, nostalgic addition whose appearance on set immediately suggests another era.
We had a family in our church who happened to have one that we were able to use for the production. The color wheel required a few modifications, but it worked great. There are many places to find one of these trees and color wheels, but your own congregation is the best starting point.
If you are interested in purchasing one, try looking in Thrift shops or dig a little deeper and buy one from Amazon.
Since they were popular midway through the last century, there will definitely be a few people in your group who have never heard of them, much less seen one before. Adding this kind of element to your Christmas production can create an atmosphere among your cast, chorus and production team that what you are doing is unique and special.
...Ok, and I guess also a little "quirky." :)
Check out these sites for more Aluminum Christmas Tree Fun:
Cool Things - Aluminum Trees
AluminumChristmastrees.net
Listen to stories at NPR:
Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum
Aluminum Trees Make A Comeback
( * Highly recommended! Definitely worth the 3 minutes. Also includes video of color spinning wheel on a tree from 1962.)
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