The surprising history behind the upside-down Christmas tree

It's not unusual to see a Christmas tree in a less than traditional colour like black, or covered with decorations that are more kooky than festive.

But it's still a shock to see an upside-down Christmas tree pop up in your social media feed or in a friend's house, and surprisingly there's a long history behind the quirky trend.

Upside down Christmas trees aren't just a fad inspired by Stranger Things or celebrities. It turns out there's a very complicated and historical background behind hanging your free from the ceiling.

When did upside-down Christmas trees first start?

The upside-down Christmas tree can be tracked back to the 7th century.

There is folklore around its origins that credits a Benedictine monk named Boniface, who, according to the legend, saw a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. He decided to cut down the tree and replace it with a fir, and when it grew he cut that down and turned it upside down.

Boniface used the triangular shape to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans.

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But the trend started to thrive in southern Poland through the tradition of podłazniczek. Polish people used "fruit, nuts, sweets wrapped in shiny paper, straw, ribbons, gold-painted pine cones" to decorate a spruce hanging upside down from the ceiling in the centre of the room, according to The Spruce.

According to Bernd Brunner's book, Inventing Christmas, in the 19th century it was often poorer families who hung their Christmas tress from the rafters. "In the small common rooms of the lower classes, there was simply no space," he explained.

In the book he also explained that plastered ceilings may have been the catalyst for the modern, upright tree we know today, because with no rafters, you can't really hang a tree that way.

The upside-down tree gets a modern resurgence

The unique trend has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, with many department stores, shops and malls taking on the bold look.

While it might be an eye-catching look, it's also a practical use of the space you've got. With the bulk of the tree up high in the room, the floor is left clear for more merchandise (in stores) or presents, and a majority of your ornaments are at eye-level.

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A quick look through the hashtag #upsidedownchristmastree on Instagram pulls up thousands of pictures of inspiration and stunning examples of the trend.

While it may be a bizarre trend, it's definitely one that's not going away anytime soon.

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