Archive

Christmas Tree Photos: The Most Spectacular Christmas Trees Around The World

As an $11 million, gold-laden tree in the United Arab Emirates vaults into the record books, The Daily Beast offers a photo guide to the world's most decadent holiday offerings—from the Obamas' White House to Westminster Abbey and Rockefeller Center.

galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-1_kdsk9f
Mindaugas Kulbis / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-1_gbh3y3

Fireworks light up the sky above a Christmas tree during a lighting ceremony at Cathedral Square on Dec. 11

Mindaugas Kulbis / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-2_x9wj5u

President Obama and his family attend the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on the Ellipse, just south of the White House, on Dec. 9.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-3_jdmloy

A Christmas tree on Red Square with St. Basil's Cathedral in the background on Dec. 2

Mikhail Metzel / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-4_gff5nr

A 50-foot-tall Christmas tree made of lobster traps on Beals Island, seen Dec. 2.

Robert F. Bukaty / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-7_abqydw

Choristers of Westminster Abbey stand as a 25-foot Christmas tree is illuminated on the North Green on Dec. 6.

Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-11_pbmfmf

Two men look at a Christmas tree decked out with $11 million worth of gold, at the Emirates Palace hotel, on Dec. 16. The hotel's general manager, Hans Olbertz, was quoted in local newspapers as saying the 43-foot faux fir has 131 ornaments that include gold and precious stones, including diamonds and sapphires. The $11 million symbol of the season has become the latest extravagance at the Emirates Palace hotel, which boasts its own marina, heliport, and a vending machine that pops out small gold bars.

Hussein Malla / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-6_szvmno

A Christmas tree lighting ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica on Dec. 17.

Franco Origlia / Getty Images
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-8_wtszbr

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is lit on Nov. 30. Originally from Mahopac, New York, the 12-ton, 74-foot Norway spruce is adorned with 30,000 environmentally friendly LED lights on more than five miles of electrical wire, and topped with a Swarovski crystal star.

Stan Honda, AFP / Getty Images
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-9_sgec0w

A giant Christmas tree stands in the center dome of Galeries Lafayette department store on Dec. 19.

Peter Dejong / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-10_szojs2

A lit Christmas tree made of 5,480 recycled bottles, made by Israeli industrial designer Hadas Itzcovitch and her father, artist Ernest Itzcovitch, on Dec. 13.

Dan Balilty / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-5_cek82g

The official White House Christmas tree is seen in the Blue Room on Dec. 1. The theme for the White House Christmas 2010 is "Simple Gifts."

Charles Dharapak / AP Photo
galleries/2010/12/20/spectacular-christmas-trees/christmas-trees-12_hnjmzl

A Christmas tree in Piazza dei Signori at the Verona Christmas Market on Dec. 4.

Marco Secchi / Getty Images