Summer 2008
Add Sparkle to Holiday Sales By Emily Lambert

Tabletop Trees

Shelli Lissick, brand communications specialist at Midwest, says the holiday merchandise market has seen a growth in decorative tabletop trees. She attributes this trend to retiring baby boomers who are hitting retirement and downsizing their homes. Lissick adds that customers are bringing Christmas décor into other rooms in their homes, which might explain the popularity of tabletop trees. “Families typically have their main, large tree in the family or living room, then add tabletop trees to other living areas such as dining rooms, kitchens and bedrooms,” Lissick says. She says tabletop trees are perfect for apartments, condos and vacation homes. Midwest offers tabletop trees made from materials such as tinsel, fabric, metal and terra cotta. Particularly popular is a vintage-looking set made of tinsel with tiny ornaments.

Jim Marvin does variations on tabletop trees, from fun and glitzy to the more serious, says Terry Fry, the company’s creative director.

The Eden Prairie, MN-based wholesaler Department 56 also offers a wide selection of tabletop trees and other holiday trim all in traditional and more contemporary colors.

Then there are the paper trees from Design Ideas Ltd., for the customer seeking a nontraditional twist on tabletop décor.