What to Wear to Decorate It

You have discriminating tastes. You tote a Louis Vuitton purse (with a Prada wallet inside) and you dress top to bottom in Versace. Clearly, you're not the kind to put just any old Christmas tree in your living room. Thankfully, for you there is Oregon's Noble Vintage, which is being marketed this season by a group of Oregon tree growers as a "designer" tree--with a ritzy tag and a price to match. (The trees, which are pampered from their planting, sell for $25 to $80 more than their generic brethren.)

It sounds gimmicky--and it kind of is--but it's working. While the rest of the national evergreen industry is hurting as people turn to artificial varieties, Oregon's Noble Vintage sales have nearly doubled since they debuted last year, largely through word of mouth. The consortium's earning props from the National Christmas Tree Association: "Any kind of marketing effort that introduces new trees to new markets is a good thing," says Rick Dungey, a NCTA spokesman. The trees, which are culled from the top 10 percent of the crop, are valued for their symmetrical shape, vibrant color, long-lasting needles and, of course, the "designer" moniker. They're especially popular in homes on a holiday house tour because, much like a designer handbag, the Oregon's Noble Vintage (which looks like a more perfect version of your off-brand tree) can be recognized by those in the know. And for those who don't, "some customers leave the tag on," says Joe Sharp, chairman of the Oregon's Noble Vintage consortium.