Ahh, the Christmas season is upon us. Whatever your beliefs,
whatever your traditions, at the center of most folks’ holiday is the lowly
Christmas tree. It brings warmth, light and cheer into our homes. However, not
all trees are created equal and, with a little forethought, getting just the
right tree for your home can make for a much more enjoyable experience.
How it has grown since then! Stats from 2012 show that 24.5 million real trees were purchased that year as well as 10.9 million artificial trees. There are more than 15,000 tree farms in the United States with 350 million trees growing on those farms. Altogether, roughly 100,000 people make their living in the Christmas tree industry. Christmas trees are big business.
Artificial trees were developed in Germany in the 19th century. Goose feathers dyed green were attached to wire branches and these were then wrapped around a central dowel that was used for a trunk. Artificial trees have come a long way!
Even so, many of us still prefer the live trees. The smell, the touch, the idea of a living Christmas tree is still the real deal to many. Still, choosing the right one isn’t always easy since there are more than 35 species from which to choose. They all have sturdy green boughs, a pleasant scent and the classic shape.
The best way to tell them apart is by the look of their needles and branches. Fir needles are fat and flat and their cones stand on top of the branches. Pine tree needles grow in clusters of two, three or five needles, depending on whether they are red, yellow or white pines. Their needles tend to be very long.
The balsam fir was the most popular and was considered the traditional Christmas tree until about 20 years ago when other species flooded the market. It is still the most fragrant.
Firs, including balsams and Canaan, are more expensive than pines because they grow slower and there is more expense involved in producing them. They sport stiff branches for decorating, their needles won’t shed and their scent makes the whole house smell like Christmas.
The most traditional Christmas tree is the white pine whereas the white spruce is considered the best for ornaments. Douglas fir is the most popular but balsam fir is the most fragrant. If you are going for low maintenance, choose Scotch pine. However, if you talk to most tree growers, their hands-down favorite all around and best smelling is the Nova Scotia Balsam Fir.
To choose the best tree, after deciding the variety you want, go to a Mom and Pop tree lot rather than a big chain retail store. Those at larger stores are usually cut in October and shipped in. Besides, there are other perks at privately-owned tree lots. You can sometimes wander their farm looking for the perfect tree and many offer hot chocolate and sleigh or wagon rides to make “getting the tree” a memorable experience.
Don’t forget to measure height and width of where you want the tree to go before you leave home. It’s an optical illusion when you get to the tree lot…they always look smaller there. The worst thing is to find that special tree and then have to chop some of it off because it won’t fit your space.
Refrain from buying too early. Lately, it has become the norm for some to buy their trees even before Thanksgiving. A fresh tree, kept properly hydrated, will last for a good month. Make sure the tree has dark green, flexible branches and that it is not already shedding. It should have a strong smell and you should be able to feel the moisture and tree sap residue on the needles. Don’t forget to check the bottom of the tree, if any branches are brown, it was probably cut at least a month prior.
Now, for the not-so-fun part. The average gorgeous, perfect Christmas tree has approximately 30,000 bugs calling it home. Yuck! That is another reason to buy from tree farms since most of them have mechanical tree shakers to rid your tree of insects. It is also a good idea to leave your tree in the garage for a few days before bringing it inside. You may even consider spraying it with non-toxic neem oil to get rid of the last of the stubborn critters.
After the holidays there are a few creative ideas to make use of your tree even more instead of just disposing it. It can be set outside and strung with popcorn, berries, etc. and used as a bird feeder. The tree can also be broken up and thrown on your compost pile.
Trunks can be burned in fires but not the branches since they can spark. However, you can burn the branches separately outside and use the ashes as fertilizer in gardens.
If you have a balsam tree, its needles can be used as fragrant potpourri. Boughs can be cut and used as winter decorations. The wood and branches both may be used in crafts to make birdhouses, candle holders, paper weights and much more.
Of course, the best option is to buy a potted tree and plant it in the spring. That way it just keeps on giving joy.
Christmas trees are definitely rooted in our traditions. A few other facts about them are:
*The top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan (yea!), Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.
*The “Tree of Paradise” was used in old plays to symbolize the Garden of Eden. Apples were hung on it and that may have been the beginning of Christmas ornaments. The first manufactured ornaments were sold by Woolworth’s in 1880.
*Thomas Jefferson’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea for tree lights in 1882 and they were mass produced starting in 1890.
*The average growing time for a Christmas tree is seven years.
*A national Christmas tree has been lit every year since 1923 on the South Lawn of the White House.
*Teddy Roosevelt tried to ban trees in the White House as an environmental concern since so many were being cut for the holidays and he believed that this would lead to deforestation. However, his son surprised the family with a tree in the White House for Christmas morning…this sort of debunked his plans!
The tree at Rockefeller Center began in 1933. Since 2004, the tree has been topped with a 550-pound Swarvoski Crystal star and since 2007 it has been lit with 30,000 LED lights powered by solar panels.
*In a survey of favorite smells, Christmas trees were eighth on the list.
To many of us, the Christmas tree is the tradition that we associate most with the holidays. It is a symbol of warmth, good cheer and togetherness. Worth all the effort in putting it up and taking it down, it is a symbol of hope and love…and who doesn’t need that right now!
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