It's a Charley Brown Christmas tree this year. I didn't go out to get a tree till after I got back from my trip and, by then, the selection was slim. So I ended up with a skinny tree with sparse branches. I've thrown lights on it and wrapped it here, with a few special effects. In the end it still says Christmas and casts a pretty glow over the front room and that's really all it needs to do.
We waited too long as well - our tree is basically a tabletop one it's so little.
I like the swirl effect that you created.