Bonsai Christmas Tree

If a tree is trimmed "just so" while growing, it will be stunted in a fashion known as "bonsai". It will have remarkably small branches and leaves, and the whole thing can fit in a moderate-sized flowerpot fairly easily.

Many people like to have real trees during the Christmas season (and we shall ignore here the fact that this is an import from an ancient pagan tradition), but many of those also don't like to kill trees that didn't do anything but grow to become pretty.

(Note, for anyone who doesn't know, most Christmas trees are grown on farms just like other crops.)

Various options are available. Artificial trees are very popular (no doubt in part because they can be bought once and used multiple times and be boxed up when not in use). But one could instead visit a Christmas tree farm and negotiate to dig up a live tree, for replanting after the holidays. That's a lot of work, though, not to mention that "transplant shock" kills a fair percentage of such trees, anyway. You certainly can't dig up the same tree each year and expect it to live, so every year you would have to seek a new tree for replanting.

This Idea proposes that the art of bonsai be applied to Christmas trees, for marketing to those who want a live tree every year, but don't want the trouble of digging and replanting and the disposing of the trees that didn't survive. Of course a bonsai Christmas tree won't be very large, but it can always be set on a plain table (with all the presents underneath). Decorate carefully! Those small branches are fragile! And note that because the tree is small, it won't take up too much space in the off-season.