Contest: Christmas Trees

[Tobias]

Since it's well into January, the Holiday events for 2017 have ended. The Christmas trees will stay up a bit longer, namely until January 28. This also means that if you are still missing any trees or gift boxes, you have until then to find them and pick them up.

There are a total of 61 trees that you put up all over Elyssia, and for a number of them it's obvious that you spent a lot of thought and effort on choosing the place and decorating them. Because of that, I'd like to do a small 'contest' of sorts, to find the prettiest or most creative trees. The price will be something befitting the creativity, namely the Large Paintbrush that was handed out years ago for participating in the screenshot event, and that has been unavailable ever since:

So how does this work?

Basically, if you found a tree that stands out - for example because of where it is, or how it was decorated - post a screenshot here (using the screenshot code that you find under your screenshots - don't forget to make these unlisted or public first, or they won't show up), and add a sentence or two to it why you think it stands out.

You can suggest up to three trees, and they cannot be your own or of a family member.

Moderators will go over the list and ensure the merits are valid - the rewards are awarded to the first person who suggested any particular tree (in case multiple people suggest the same tree), as well as the owner of that tree.

The deadline for suggesting trees is in one week, namely at the end of January 15, 2018 - so make sure to not miss it!

_{Any questions can be posted into separate threads, so that this thread just has the screenshots. If you post them here,
 any moderator or I will move the question into a separate thread.}

[Lydia]

(daddylol) aka selectlol
i like the use of the pattern, and despite the meaning of it, i think it looks quite tasteful
purple is a nice color

[Xylthia]

<sub>I'd like to suggest Froot Loops's tree as the best decorated all around Christmas tree!

While I enjoyed seeing the creativity other people expressed in their trees with using matching colors and precise symmetry, Froot Loops's tree stood out to me for several reasons:
- The tree expresses all the colors on the visible spectrum which is really pleasing to see. Their vibrancy works really well together and it's really attractive to the eye. While seeing these colors individually in other locations can also be nice, I think seeing them together sparks another type of visually pleasing image.
- The tree, like other trees, also has a unique symmetry about it. I enjoyed the even distribution and spacing of the baubles. It is nice to see that they were placed in a uniformed manner to go from top to bottom in the pattern of a rainbow. The "negative space", or the remaining parts of the tree if you will, does it great justice.
- The third reason I picked this tree is that of its location. The guest room provides a cozy atmosphere to the entire map, and the tree by the fireplace is a great addition which sparks a hint of nostalgia. The fact that there is a window which shows the snowy outdoors also gained bonus points for me. Truly a "white Christmas".
- The fourth and final reason as to why I chose this tree over any other is because (even though I was unsure if it was trying to convey this message at all, I think it was just for an aesthetic look), it reminds me of the LGBTQ+ community. I know many people, some of whom are close to me, who are deeply invested in the LGBTQ+ community (whether it's them being a part of it, or simply showing great respect and care for them). I feel like this tree, though as cheesy as it may sound, showcases a diverse part of Paw'D. No other trees really stood out to me as much because, to me, they were simply designed to be showcased as "well dressed" and pretty. However, Froot Loops's design, although very simple, made me really happy to look at . I could also argue that since this tree makes you think of the meaning behind it (it inspired this point in me, or to others it can just be a tree with a rainbow pattern), it deserves a recognition. Even the simplest things such as this tree can make you stop and think about its meaning. It doesn't have to be extremely detailed and complex because some complex things just make you say, "Oh, cool" and move on. If a work of art makes you step back and think of what it is trying to convey, I believe it deserves the utmost respect.

Overall, the design of this tree has potential to hold a lot of meaning! It's simple, vibrant, and in a cozy location which lets a lot of users enjoy it.
Sorry that my reasoning was a bit long, I really wanted to express my thoughts on this tree! n__n</sub>

[Mistyy]

A tree that I came across and really liked was Sprite's:

One of the reasons that I chose this tree is the colors. They're really simple but I find the colors go well put together and also with the beach setting. _{(ilikebeaches;P)} Another reason why I chose this tree is because I like the way that the baubles organized onto the tree and not scattered with random designs and colors all over the place- Idk why but it just bothers me sometimes when trees do. Annd one more reason I like this tree because of the candles sitting at the bottom. You kinda can't see them because of the gifts, but I just like the little detail that it adds into making the tree more unique.
_{Gj to everyone on their trees though. :) I've only seen 57, but still gj to the 4 I haven't found yet.}

[Ophelia]

i'm gonna nominate Corvee's tree; it's very aesthetically pleasing and stands out to me. I really love the silver and gold baubles, and of which the gold baubles are really hard to get so i understand the effort that went into her tree :-)

[Foxleap]

Kludd's tree was one that I found especially beautiful



For starters the location. It's located up in the blackwood canopies, a somewhat hard area to get through if you're not strong enough. The location chosen in the map is simply magical. In the end of the map in what is almost complete dark minus a ring of leaves haloing around it and the beautiful pond beneath it.
The tree itself is decorated beautifully. It's not colorful or as flamboyant as other trees I've seen but it's simplicity makes it beautiful. The traditional color and overall symmetry of the tree reminds me of the Christmas trees I'd see around all the time when I was little and it really brings back good holiday memories.
The symmetry is really cool and it's the perfect mixtures of green and red, and of candles to ornaments. The garland on top to me brings the whole tree together. The stocking in the middle of the tree is really cool and it's sort of the center piece of the tree and it lines up so nicely with the mistletoe on top.

Overall, I think it's holiday colors and more traditional style makes it one of the most beautiful trees in the game.

[Amiary]

Kludd's tree!


I have to agree with Foxleap about this tree! :D
But the one thing that really catches my eye is where Kludd planted the tree,
With a nice amount of candles in that spot, the cave pond looks bright and aesthetic!
_{(a best spot to be afk in... haha) *sun*}

[Amiary]

Willow's Tree! - Emerald Springs



Alright, here's the second tree I want to suggest. Willow's tree has a nice combination of baubles, (silver + dec.red bauble) candles and several random santas. I think that's a nice pattern (even though it's arranged un-evenly.) It's good to see someone's making a use of that small spot, namely for a Christmas tree. Makes a perfect challenge for those who doesn't have skip or pounce to get gifts!
Conclusion, that spot lit up thanks to tree! (Like Kludds'!) ^
_{I think that's the best spot to plant a tree, hee.}

[Sprite]

Corvee's tree is pretty! Gold and silver baubles and candles makes the tree sparkly. I hope no one got hurt trying to get those presents.


I also like Velix's tree, its simple and tidy. Blue and yellow go well together. It will be great with a clear night sky and fireworks :p

The tree in Birk's Cafe was awesome, but its goneee

There are so many other creative and pretty trees around. Ty for putting all the efforts decorating your trees! :D

[Peony]

i'm going to go with ophelia's tree for this contest

the main reason why i choose this tree is because of the combination of blue and silver baubles, they look really pretty together
the pattern they're arranged in is nice too
also, the snow globe is a really nice touch, along with the silver star at the top
there's also the location, it can be a bit difficult to get past the thornshells if you don't kill them all or don't invis past them
overall, though, i think the nice color combination of this tree makes it a tree that's especially pleasing to look at

[Bramble]

There were a lot of great trees so it was difficult to choose, but I narrowed it down to my favorite three.

1)
Mistyy's tree (the one on the left) stood out to me the entirety of the Christmas event. I think this is the only tree that had a vast amount of pink ornaments on it -- the pink + white ornaments together looked very pleasant. I also thought the candles on the bottom were very neat as well.

2)
I really like how Sprite's ornaments are very organized + placed parallel of each other, and I also really like how the colors of the ornaments  + the gold star complement each other, making them pleasing to the eye.

3)
Velix's tree is really neat in my opinion because I like the organization of the blue + white ornaments with the candles, but what I liked most about it was how blue + gold are kinda complementary colors and the way the tree was designed made the two colors go really well with each other.

[Dan]

Tree #1 Corvee

I like the design, and how she used the golden and silver baubles, everything looks good, and that small santa Corvee was a nice detail.

Tree #2 Froot Loops

I like this tree because it has a lot of colors, despite being a simple design, it looks really cool.

Tree #3 Leafeon

I like this tree because it has an original design, even with only a few ornaments, the player was able to make something nice to the view.

[Tobias]

January 15 has come, and as promised, here's the wrap-up. The trees you guys suggested also caught my attention while I was looking for them myself - I saw pretty much all of them, except the one in Birk's café - where I did actually not check.

In addition to those suggested, there's a few more that caught my attention. I'll go right over the three-trees rule, because I wouldn't want those to be missed. Be it a lot of thought put into them or just sheer luck - finding those did make my day as well:


Tawnyx's tree - if you are going alone, this isn't exactly the easiest place to go to. Especially if you don't know if a tree is even going to be there, and you're arriving there with a bunch of mobs following you. You might die, but at least you get a warm greeting from the tree.


Jinjou's tree. Sure, it's a bit simple, but it's a great place to place a tree. Just straight in the middle of the waterfall. Why not?


Bramble's tree also has a nice Selection of colours - blue, white and gold go well together. And even though you didn't have any influence on the gifts that would be below it, they go really well with its colour palette.


Shun's tree. Some people didn't find that one even with hints. It's right on the cliff above the abyss. Getting to it isn't simple, and the map has nothing of interesting - so you're only doing it on a hunch - but lo' and behold, there's actually a tree there.


Not the prettiest tree - sorry Joji XD The perspective on the candles is off. But the location is great. It's a really remote place, and at the far end of it too. With so much water around it, all the candles probably don't even classify as a fire hazard.


A tree on a tree. Yeaaaaah. Because, why not. This one's Evyn's. You actually have to climb up to find it. And on top of all, it looks really good. Nicely done :D



The infamous XD tree. Climb all the way up to galepeak, and if you go into this little alcove - you find a tree that looks almost too happy to see you. That one's Bumblebuzzy's.

I also remember Leafeon's tree (already suggested by Dan) as being cute - and getting to Willow's tree, as a priest - oh dear. Especially if you want to stay alive.


Aaaaanyhow, this brings this contest to an conclusion. The rewards will be sent out tomorrow - thank you all for your suggestions - and for gathering all the baubles and decorations in the first place. :D