Black Feather Christmas Trees: History, Sizes and How to Dress One

A black feather Christmas tree is an artificial tree with branches made of dyed feathers wrapped onto wire, a modern dark take on the goose-feather trees first made in Germany in the late 1800s. Choose one by height and branch count, then dress it lightly: the open, tiered branches suit small, light ornaments with space between them.

This page covers feather trees only. For pencil, full and pre-lit black trees, see the black Christmas trees guide.

German goose-feather trees and where they came from

German goose-feather trees began as a substitute for cut firs. The Sauk County Historical Society says German towns cut the tops off fir trees for Christmas, which stunted them, and laws limiting the practice pushed families toward a feather version. Makers dyed goose, turkey, chicken or swan feathers green, wrapped them onto wires or sticks, and set them around a wooden dowel trunk.

The shape copied a German white pine, with wide gaps between the tiers, according to the Perry County Lutheran Historical Society. Those gaps had a job. The Sauk County account says candles sat between the branches on Christmas Eve, and the spacing cut the fire risk while leaving room for ornaments. Many trees had small artificial berries on the branch tips, which the Lutheran society says helped hold metal clip-on candle holders.

German immigrants brought feather trees to the United States, where dime stores sold them in the 1920s and 1930s. Sauk County says the feathers were dyed green to look like pine needles, and the Southampton History Museum lists white, blue, light green and gold as well, set in round or square wooden bases made to look like the buckets that held live trees. Imports stopped during World War II, and American craftsmen reintroduced feather trees in the 1980s.

What modern black feather trees are made of

Modern black feather trees keep the old idea of feathers wrapped onto wire, but the feather type varies by maker. Lee Display builds a black tree from ostrich feathers dyed with a fabric solution mixed with vinegar, tied to bendable wire branches with cotton and polyester thread. Its white feather tree uses turkey feathers on the same kind of wire, and the maker says the colors will not run in rain.

Listings differ on what they tell you, so look for three details before you buy: the feather type, the number of branches and the stand. Lee Display ships its black tree with a painted metal stand held by three screws. A steady base matters more on a feather tree than on a full tree, because the narrow trunk carries every ornament.

Black feather tree sizes for mantels and floors

Black feather trees range from small tabletop pieces to floor trees. Lee Display offers its black ostrich tree in 2, 3, 4 and 5 ft heights and its turkey feather tree at 4 and 7 ft, with the 7 ft version listed at 42 inches across the bottom.

Check the bottom diameter as well as the height, since branch spread decides whether a tree fits beside a fireplace or a doorway.

Choosing ornaments for sparse feather branches

Ornaments for a feather tree should be small and light, hung one per branch tip. Thin wire branches can sag under a heavy glass ball, and the open tiers make every ornament visible, so clutter shows quickly.

• Hang from the outer tip of each branch so the ornament falls into the gap below.
• Pick one size and repeat it: small silver or mercury-style balls look tidy on black feathers.
• Use clip-on birds or ravens, which perch rather than hang and suit the old candle-clip look.
• Leave the inner branches bare. The dark center is part of the effect.

Our black Christmas ornaments guide covers glass, velvet and raven designs, and the Victorian Christmas tree guide shows the period ornaments that suit a feather tree’s age.

Lights and candles on a black feather tree

Lights on a black feather tree should be a short, fine-wire string, and candles should stay off it. Electric lights eventually replaced candles: the Courtenay and District Museum describes a goose-feather tree with its own electric lights as a later model, from the era when these trees were popular in North America, about the 1920s to the 1950s. Today, Lee Display says lights and ornaments attach to each of the 60+ branches on its black tree.

Clip-on battery candles give the old candle look without the flame. The U.S. Fire Administration also advises checking light strings for frayed or pinched wires before each use.

Storing a black feather tree after the holidays

Storing a black feather tree is simpler than storing a full artificial tree. Lee Display says the stand on its black tree folds together and the wire branches can be wrapped into a storage box. Pack the tree upright or loosely, with nothing heavy on top, so the feathers are not crushed flat between seasons.

Where a black feather tree fits in a goth room

A black feather tree works best as a second tree or a mantel piece next to a fuller main tree. Our goth Christmas decor hub maps the whole room, and the black tree toppers guide covers tall, narrow finials that suit a slim trunk better than a wide star.