Before you ask what could possibly make a tree–even a 43-foot tall tree–cost $11 million, we'll tell you: jewelry.

Earlier this week, The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi unveiled what might be the most magnificent Christmas tree in the world and most expensive Christmas tree in history with lots and lots of jewelry.

The artificial tree is bedecked with 181 pieces, including diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and rubies, along with "more mundane gold and silver balls and bows." Well yes, we would expect that nearly anything put next to a $3.5 million diamond set would strike one as "mundane."

The 13-meter (a little more than 42-feet) faux evergreen sparkles in the hotel's gold-leafed rotunda and is decorated with silver and gold bows, ball-shaped ornaments and small white lights. The tree alone is valued at $10,000 but it's what's dangling from the branches that makes this beauty so pricey.

Because hosting a massive piece of thief-bait isn't enough, the hotel is looking to get the tree recognized by the Guinness Book Of World Records as "the world's most expensively dressed," going up against a Japanese tree dressed to the tune of $10.8 million.

The hotel spared no expense to dress its festive friend for guests. The tree is draped with a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, emeralds, sapphires and other precious stones, said Khalifa Khouri, owner of Style Gallery which provided the jewelry.

Combined with its bejeweled accessories – including necklaces, earrings and other jewelry created from the gems – the tree prices out at a whopping $11 million.

We wonder what kind of presents one might find hidden under this Christmas tree.