Rome’s Christmas tree branded the ugliest in the world

Christmas is a time to celebrate and come together to share the joy of the season all together. While people in Rome are certainly coming together, unfortunately it’s to mock and ridicule their city tree which has been named the ugliest in the world.

Hundreds of people turned out to see the unveiling of the tree, which was hyped up with plenty of publicity, but when the curtain finally came down it was met with an awkward silence as people took in its drooping branches and strands of messy lights.

Rather than choosing the usual bountiful pine with with plenty of decorations and ornaments, the city’s officials chose a tree that looks as though it’s seen better days!

People who were at the unveiling took to social media to say that some spectators literally stood there gobsmacked while others burst out laughing when they caught sight of it.

“Doing something cheaply doesn’t have to mean doing it badly. I saw [the tree] today in real life: it’s ugly and sad,” said one resident in the city. “It looks like it’s been hit by a hurricane.”

Others described it as “infinite sadness” and claimed their were more festive trees in war-torn Iraq.

While other cities around the world have unveiled some pretty spectacular trees, those in Rome say they’ve been given the “austerity tree”.

Photos of the miserable pine on social media received so many complaints the city has since made updates and added extra decorations, including a lovely bright star on top.

“That’s better! The first version was quite possibly the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen,” wrote one resident.

Does your city have a Christmas tree up this year? Have you been to Rome before? Have you ever had a wintery and snowy Christmas?