There may be nothing more nostalgic at the holidays than bottle brush trees. Bottle brushes or sisel trees, which they are often called were originally made from sisel fibers. Sisel is a large plant which is part of the agave family and include large sword-like leaves. Most bottle brushes today are made from plastic or wire.
These festive decorations started in the bathroom. Quite literally, they came from the toilet. The Addis Brush Company, known as an American manufacturer of toilet brushes, first created the bottle brush trees in the 1930s. Bottle brushes reached their peak in popularity in the 1960s, donning mantles and shelves of homes with a variety of colors and sizes to round out Christmas decorations.
So how should I decorate with bottle brush trees? Really, you should be asking yourself, how could I NOT decorate with these beauties. They are versatile, inexpensive and can serve as a great greenery or the centerpiece in your display. Here are six easy ways to use bottle brush trees this Christmas season:
#1 Pair with Santa!
This Santa mug collection was one of the first holiday collections I started. Most were scored at a ‘Christmas in July’ sale at Goodwill where I paid 25 cents each! As much as I love displaying the mugs, though, they needed something to really bring the display together. Enter bottle brushes! Different sizes and shapes really add a pop and serve to showcase this cherished collection.
#2 Grandma’s milk glass never looked so festive
I love milk glass. I love that my Grandmother collected it. I love that is uber easy to source from thrift stores. And, I love that it is inexpensive. My milk glass typically stays packed away until spring or summer when I’m trying to lighten up the home décor. Why wait? Dropping a few bottle brushes in these milk glass bowls and vases made a beautiful decoration for our kitchen window.
#3 Simple centerpiece
So often, I struggle with what to decorate a table with as a centerpiece. Let’s face it, centerpieces are there for looks but then eventually get moved when it’s time to eat or use the table. This adorable plaid tray had yet to find a home in my Christmas decoration line up, but offered the perfect vessel to create a one of a kind centerpiece with bottle brushes. Best part, easy to move when we want to use the coffee table or transport the decor to another part of the house.
#4 Add height!
A long bookcase in our master bedroom is a great display area around the holidays. Its a bit of a blank canvas but gives me the opportunity to use several sprays and a few smaller collectibles. Bottle brushes, paired with an inexpensive artificial tree, gave some much-needed height.
Also in the master, we have a very large armoire which provides an area to decorate with some handmade angels I’ve collected over the years. Against the taupe walls, the angels got lost. The addition of bottle brushes added a wonderful pop of color and height to the otherwise bland area.
#5 Bring together odds and ends
Whether it was hostess gifts I received or items I’ve picked up for a good deal, I always seem to have a box of Christmas odds and ends. Tie these pieces together and showcase their Christmas beauty with bottle brushes. Here, I included a collection of mismatched Christmas mugs, a random candy dish and votive candle holder. Even the Dollar Store cake pedestal which had been in the box for a few years finally found a home with this bottle brush collection.
#6 Fill every little corner with cheer
There is a running joke at our house that I will decorate anything that doesn’t move. Okay, maybe there is some truth to that. But, bottle brushes are one of simplest ways to dress up every little nook and corner throughout the house. I named this bottle brush my Dr. Seuss bottle brush because of its squiggly shape and crazy colors. Its the perfect addition to a small powder room counter. The room already has some Grinch themed art, so this is the perfect finishing touch!
