December 14, 2001

4:27 PM

as if we didn't have enough tacky post-911 merchandising (nytimes), now we gotta look at this. but on the upside, it verges on being outsider art...
posted by patricking (15 comments total)

from the site:
This year we offer "The Patriot" , our red, white, and blue Christmas tree created to symbolize the spirit, solidarity and strengths of America during Christmas and beyond.

So anyone with an old green tree is now officially an unamerican looking to break the solidarity and further weaken the country. So much so, they're equal to any terrorist?

They should rename those trees "Operation Enduring Eyesore" instead of "The Patriot."
posted by mathowie at 4:40 PM on December 14, 2001

I love the way they remember "New York" with quotation marks around it.
posted by dfowler at 4:51 PM on December 14, 2001

matt, only some lefty godless pagan would have a green tree.

oh, wait, they Wouldn't have a tree. Yikes. That awful thing looks a lot like these ice cream pops i used to buy from the ice cream truck...what are those called? i'm looking on google and can't remember the name.
posted by th3ph17 at 4:55 PM on December 14, 2001

They should rename those trees "Operation Enduring Eyesore"

Or how about "The Bomb Pop"?
posted by Shadowkeeper at 4:56 PM on December 14, 2001

Yeah! and also, just found the FIRECRACKER. red white & blue = explosives?
posted by th3ph17 at 4:59 PM on December 14, 2001

well, at least they offer the traditional pink christmas tree. it's good to see tradition go on.

(oh, i'm sorry. irony's dead. silly me.)
posted by patricking at 5:05 PM on December 14, 2001

Oh, my. That's profoundly ugly.
posted by Su at 5:40 PM on December 14, 2001

wait.. i'm lost. what's the french flag got to do with Christmas?
posted by Vetinari at 5:43 PM on December 14, 2001

How much are these eyesores? I actually want one, for the camp value... but I don't want to pay for it.

Maybe I can grow one.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 5:54 PM on December 14, 2001

Vetinari, if I recall correctly, the French made the first Christmas Tree back in 1886 as a gift for the United States. It was erected in New York City. It was made of copper, however, and so the original has turned green over the years. This tree is representing the First Christmas Tree as it originally was. People may think that Christmas trees are supposed to be green, but in fact the original was painted as a massive French flag, because the French wanted to make sure the Americans didn't forget who gave it to them.

So this tree is really being patriotic and teaching history at the same time. It truly is a priceless addition to any living room this holiday season.
posted by whatnotever at 7:04 PM on December 14, 2001

It's a Dutch flag.
posted by dfowler at 7:54 PM on December 14, 2001

"Keep America rolling," cries the car company. "Keep America moving," shouts the real estate agent. Never mind the bullocks--just keep spending. What unabashed, offensive cynicism. I feel like I'm living in an alternate universe created by Tom Tomorrow.
posted by chipr at 10:51 PM on December 14, 2001

Christmas should stick to being Christmas, and not an excuse to be celebrating the Fourth of July... or a terrible occurance, either. It's a HAPPY holiday, for Christ's sake.
posted by GirlFriday at 8:44 AM on December 15, 2001

the image was broken for that christmas tree.

Oh well. No tree can match my ALUMINUM CHRISTMAS TREE! Genuine late '40's style (and by "style" I mean "looks like it was made from shredded pop (soda) cans")
posted by dagnyscott at 7:30 PM on December 15, 2001

the image was broken for that christmas tree.

Oh well. No tree can match my ALUMINUM CHRISTMAS TREE! Genuine late '40's style (and by "style" I mean "looks like it was made from shredded pop (soda) cans")
posted by dagnyscott at 7:30 PM on December 15, 2001