Emirates Palace Christmas Tree
The most expensive Christmas tree was installed in 2010 at the luxury Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. This extraordinary 12-meter tree attracted global attention. Its cost—$11 million—set an absolute price record. The cherry on top was the price of the ornaments, reaching millions of dollars. Pearls, gold, diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds adorned this festive masterpiece. Alongside gem-encrusted baubles, the tree featured jewelry like watches, bracelets, and necklaces.
Golden Christmas Tree by Ginza Tanaka
Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka is known for crafting stunning Christmas masterpieces. In 2007, he created a 20 kg gold Santa Claus. In 2012, he outdid himself, unveiling a Christmas tree in his store made from nearly 40 kg of gold. This luxurious tree was decorated with over 240 gemstones, diamond garlands, and pearls. Weighing 20 kg, it resembled a tiered carousel with 50 Disney characters instead of horses, including Cinderella, Ariel, Pinocchio, and Mickey Mouse. The price of this masterpiece is $4.2 million.
Soo Kee Jewellery Diamond Tree
Singaporean jeweler Soo Kee offered an exclusive take on the Christmas tree, replacing regular ornaments with diamonds. Soo Kee adorned the tree with $1.005 million worth of jewels, featuring 21,798 diamonds totaling 913 carats. The delicate branches also held 3,762 crystal beads, illuminated by 500 lights. Standing 6 meters tall and weighing about 3 tons, this lavish tree was displayed in a major shopping mall under 24-hour surveillance.
US Capitol Christmas Tree
The Capitol Christmas tree is traditionally installed in Washington, D.C., outside the US Capitol. Grown in a special nursery, the tree travels across the country to reach Congress. This tradition began in 1964. Each year, a massive spruce is selected from a national park and transported to the site. The tree can exceed 20 meters in height, requiring kilometers of garlands for decoration. Transport, installation, and decoration cost the government up to $1 million.
Swarovski Christmas Tree
The Swarovski Christmas tree rounds out the top 5. The jewelry house delights fans annually with signature trees sparkling in every color. The most magnificent one was unveiled in 2010 in Hong Kong. This 27-meter cone-shaped tree featured patterns made of 20 million gold and silver Swarovski crystals from Austria. Adorned with 40,000 crystals, it was showcased at the Winterfest in Hong Kong. LED lights created a breathtaking display. The project cost $500,000.