JONES: Welcome back. Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches. Well, if you're in Rome, not that lovely, it seems. A festive centerpiece in one of the city's main squares has been dubbed "bald," "sickly," and "the world's saddest Christmas tree." Take a look.</s>JONES (voice-over): Rome's 20-meter high Christmas tree, looking sickly and bare, is spreading Christmas jeer instead of Christmas cheer and people aren't happy about it.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It is a disgrace. It hurts to even --</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): -- look at this Christmas tree. It looks like something that has been plucked. How can they have it put it in Rome? A capital city like Rome?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It looks like it does not have enough water or enough decorations. It's lacking color. It does not look very alive.</s>JONES (voice-over): Its mangy appearance has earned the tree the nickname Spelacchio, which roughly translates to grungy or shabby. The saga exploded on social media. One user says the tree looks like the one from "Charlie Brown's Christmas." Another mocks the tree, saying it isn't about beauty, it's about what's inside. The government shelled out 50,000 euros to transport the ailing spruce to Rome from the Austrian border. Residents think that money may have been better spent elsewhere.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I think they could have spent the money on something else, rather than on something so stupid and so ugly.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The one at the Vatican is much better. They should swap them.</s>JONES (voice-over): It certainly looks more alive than the one in Rome.</s>JONES: Just swap them over, why not? Thank you so much for watching tonight. Stay with us here on CNN, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is coming up after this break. END
The World's Saddest Christmas Tree.