Minimalist Xmas Tree

My friend hasn't had a Christmas tree in a dozen years. She is tired of dealing with the pine needles but just can't make the leap to an artificial one. I was asked to come up with a solution. She's a bit of a minimalist and loves wire baskets. 

Enter the tomato cage. Don't try to buy one at this time of the year, the stores are sold out or they have stowed them away for the season. You need to beg one from a veggie grower like I did. 

Turn your cage upside down. Grab three of the legs and wrap the fourth around them.  I began the twist with my hands then used pliers to tighten the wire. I suggest using the male of the species (if you have one in close proximity) since they come with those great apps; muscles. They make it a lot easier but then you have to put up with "Why do you want to do that?" (do they go to school for that phrase?)

Clip off the ends with either a wire cutter or hack saw.

You can buy a roll of baling wire for next to nothing. Make 12 bends about 2 1/2" long. I used my pliers  to squinch the points.This made for a more believable star.

Cut off the end connected to the roll of wire leaving a tail, then form your star.  Straighten the tails, trim them and poke them into the twisted wire opening. Spray paint the whole thing black and that's it.

Although you can hang your favorite ornaments, this seemed to call for minimal ones. I used my beloved paper punches on black poster board (2 for a dollar at the dollar store) and made my own. The snowflake  was made with 2 punches. First I punched the snowflake then cut it out with a square punch. I threaded a thin piece of wire through a tiny hole in the ornament and attached it to the tree.

 I love that it looks like a doodle.

I think the worse thing about an artificial tree is having to store it. With this, all you have to do when Christmas is over, is remove the star, untwist the legs, poke it in the ground and grow tomatoes. How multipurpose it that?

Charlie Brown tree or minimalist delight? Discuss.