The tree comes with a built-in power pole as well as a metal stand. It does not come with the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot or other device you’ll need to control everything.
The National Christmas Tree Association, with a web site URL that lets everyone know what it thinks of fake (Christmas tree) news — realchristmastrees.org — says there are approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. every year. But sales of artificial trees are on the rise, perhaps because manufactured trees look more and more like the real thing.
Alexa muscling into Christmas with her artificial (tree) intelligence is not really a surprise in homes that are already “smart” during the rest of the year. The thought of not having to string lights and deal with a mess of cords and tree needles on the floor to get stuff plugged in or turned on and off is actually quite appealing. Cycling through a disco-club-worthy selection of lighting options may be a little over the top, but most people who buy the Mr. Christmas tree are probably going to love that. “Lit!” the kids will say.
Amazon changed how we shop for the holidays and every other day a long time ago. For those of us who talk to our plants, it was just a matter of time before the tech giant had us talking to a fake tree.