Ten Asian-Inspired Christmas Trees

---

 

Thinking about holiday decor with a Chinese or Japanese theme this year? Here are ten Asian-inspired Christmas trees to jumpstart your holiday creativity – including a special one that gathers wishes of hope and gives them wings.

 

Paper fans, origami, cherry blossoms and small paper lanterns decorate the Japanese-inspired Christmas tree above. It belongs to an American Navy pilot and his wife living in Japan. Read about their adventures on their blog, TamiandKevin.

 

In honor of her daughter Josie, whom she adopted from China in 2008, blogger and crafter Kim K. from Michigan decorates a Chinese-themed tree every year. Topped with a satin tiger hat - a traditional baby gift in China - the tree features red tissue paper streamers and an interesting collection of ornaments. You can read more about the tree and get directions for making the little girl ornaments, pictured above, on Kim’s blog.

 

Silk Chinese lanterns, paper parasols, butterfly kites and bamboo rods decorate the Asian-inspired Christmas tree above in a home in Savannah, Georgia. Photo from Southern Living.

 

Above is a bonsai Christmas tree decorated with birds and miniature lanterns from Martha Stewart Living.

 

Lanterns, kimonos, ribbons and more decorate the Asian-inspired tree above from Better Homes and Gardens.

 

Origami birds and fans are the stars of the tree above from Martha Stewart. I love the white fan garland.

 

Fans and feathers are a feminine combination on the pastel tree above from Holiday With Matthew Mead. Notice the unusual tree skirt!

 

Los Angeles designer Lynn von Kersting decorated the tree above with starfish and mini Chinese paper parasols. Photo from the book La Strada della Dolce Vita, via Style Court.

 

Amber Filkins of Silver Lining used Chinese take-out boxes to create the Advent tree above for her family. She numbered each box and filled it with a trinket or treat. Starting on December first, one box was opened each day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos above and at left: Each December thousands of origami cranes inscribed with wishes for the world decorate the 25-foot World Tree of Hope in the Rotunda of San Francisco City Hall.

Wishes are received from all corners of the globe and it takes volunteers more than 1,000 hours to create the tree. The idea for the project - which is a collaboration between the Rainbow World Fund and San Francisco’s Japanese-American community - was inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, the little girl from Hiroshima whose death transformed the crane into a symbol of world peace.

If you would like to have your own wish for the world included on this year’s World Tree of Hope, just type it into the organization’s online form. Volunteers will print it out, fold the print-out into an origami crane and place it on the tree. Wishes will continue to be added through December and submitting a wish is free.

 

---

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to Pagoda Road by email and receive notification when new articles are published? It's free, only takes a minute to do and you can unsubscribe at any time. And please rest assured that your email address will never be sold, rented or used for any other purpose.

---