Chrismon tree

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Chrismon Trees are a popular variation of the Christmas tree developed by Frances Kipps Spencer, a member of the Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia. She originated the concept in 1957 when she set out to create decorations appropriate for a church's Christmas celebrations. ^[1] The ornaments she created using leftover supplies used for wrapping Christmas presents quickly became popular, so Spencer began creating additional ornaments and wrote a series of how-to books. After her death in 1990, Spencer willed the rights to the Chrismons name and patterns to the Ascension church to continue its non-profit ministry. ^[2]

The Chrismon Tree is highly symbolic, conveying the life of Christ and the meaning of Christmas through commonly found items and easily understood symbols borrowed or modified from other sources.^[3] The tree is evergreen, representing eternal life, and decorated with traditional and modified ancient Christian symbols, called Chrismon. which are usually handmade by members of a local congregation using beads, sequins, glitter and styrofoam in colors of white and gold.