It is beginning to feel a lot like… you know what.
And if you are feeling festive – a Christmas tree – might well be twinkling away in your living room or hallway.
But we bet the decorations hanging from it don’t include knives, cigarette lighters and bullets.
Vilnius Airport in Lithuania has unveiled its alternative festive tree – made entirely of items confiscated from passengers.
The tree which is 1.5m (5ft) tall took just over two weeks to create – but it’s not just been done for the novelty value.
“The aim is to send an educational message on the importance of aviation security,” said a spokesperson from Vilnius Airport.
“The items are prohibited to carry in hand luggage and were taken away from passengers during screening. Knives, scissors, lighters, blades, and all sorts of other dangerous goods.
“So if you don’t want your personal, yet prohibited, belongings to land on next year’s Christmas tree, better check out the baggage requirements before you pack for your next flight.”
And it’s not just the Lithuanian airport that has got creative with the Christmas tree concept this year.
The village of Ullapool, on the shores of a west Highlands sea loch, has erected a 9m (29.5ft) “tree” made from fishing gear.
It’s made from over 340 creels – a cage used for catching shellfish – and is the latest version of a Ullapool tradition dating back to 2016.
The popularity of non-traditional trees might also be down to people being keen to have a more eco-friendly festive season.
According to Friends of the Earth, over 8 million Christmas tree are bought in the UK every December. That’s a lot of potential for those trees to have a sizeable carbon footprint if they aren’t sourced from somewhere near your home, or to be discarded in a way that causes unnecessary waste.
Sustainable alternatives include growing your own tree (holly, apple and Japanese Maple are recommended), renting one or just making sure you burn it, plant it or give it to your local council’s green waste scheme when you’re done.
People are also being encouraged to make the most out of their pine trees once the festive season is over.
