When Rome’s city council posted pictures of the Piazza Venezia Christmas tree on Facebook, they were overwhelmed with responses – but it wasn’t the most festive kind of feedback.

"It makes me want to vomit," said one user, while another dubbed it "albero dell'austerity" (the Austerity Tree) – a name which has stuck. "It would have been better not to have anything at all, it's so ugly!"; "It's just like the rest of the city – full of holes and covered in rubbish." You get the idea.

No festive cheer here, folks Credit: FACEBOOK/Comune di Roma

But when the people spoke, the city listened – and on Wednesday the government loosened their purse strings to give the maligned conifer a makeover.

The tree – which didn’t even have a star – was topped with a five-pointed sparkler, and its boughs were decked with new strings of lights.

That's much better Credit: Facebook/Comune di Roma

"Romans want a more beautiful Christmas tree at Piazza Venezia, and they'll get one," Mayor Virginia Raggi announced on Wednesday. "I've asked for more decorations and lights to be added, within moderation."

The original Christmas tree budget had been curbed in order to save money for city projects such as improving parks and children’s play areas. Both the Christmas tree and lights had been donated to the city, leaving the council with just a €15,000 bill for transporting and rigging the tree, according to Italian news website The Local.

Montreal's Christmas tree Credit: CANADIAN PRESS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Meanwhile in Montreal, Canada, residents are still calling for their 88-foot (and mysteriously flat-topped) tree to be spruced up. It even has its own parody Twitter account, after critics labelled the Christmas tree 'ugly', 'lopsided' and looking like it had just 'finished rehab'.