How would you like to surprise your family and friends this year with the most expensive prelit decorated Christmas tree available for your home? I know that when I think of an expensive tree, I'm thinking it must be covered in diamonds or something.
Well, close.
For holiday 2012 you'll find the most expensive decorated tree is a gold Christmas tree for sale in Japan. It is on display in a jewelry store in Tokyo.
NBC News recently reported on this pure gold Christmas tree that's not only shiny in its own right, but it's got a pop-culture catch to it. This decorated tree is covered in Disney characters—Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell, and Cinderella, to be exact.
Here are some stats on this surprising and expensive decorated tree:
- The tree, which is being marketed as an oversized ornament, is made from 88 pounds of pure gold.
- The tree stands eight feet high and is three feet in diameter.
- The Disney characters that decorate this tree number 50 in all.
- Each character is a gold-plate silhouette.
- The ribbon that encircles the tree is made from gold leaf.
- The tree costs 350 million yen or the equivalent of $4.2 million. (Hey, one of those two Powerball Jackpot winners in Arizona and Missouri could afford it!)
- It took 10 craftsmen two months to finish making this decorated tree.
If you prefer the Robin Leach "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" approach to holiday decorating but can't swing this big price tag, don't worry—there is a smaller version of this prelit Christmas tree that is somewhat cheaper. For only $243,000 or 2 million yen, you can get a shrunk down version with 20 Disney characters.
