Christmas Trees
Real, fresh cut Christmas trees brings the traditional smell and warm glow
to your room and house during the Christmas season. Buying and setting up
the tree on the other hand can be one of either fun and memories, or trial
and tribulation....and memories. And everyone has at least one story to tell.
I will never forget one year when the kids and I went out and picked the
absolute best tree we have ever seen and cut it down. We loaded it onto the
van and drove home, singing carols along the way. Well, I drove the Christmas
tree right into the garage...err, literally. Years later, we still laugh
about that Christmas tree as it hit the roof of the garage and tore right
off along with part of the van.
Did you know? Some people are allergic to pine. Don't know if you
or a family member has this allergy? If you've walked through a pine forest
without ill effects, you're okay. If you've worked with pine bark in your
garden without problems, you're okay. If, you and the family have been exposed
to Christmas wreaths or trees while shopping, you're probably okay.... Get
the picture?
Now, let's turn to the important aspects of selecting a Christmas tree to
make your experience a pleasant one.
Selecting the Perfect tree There are three important things to do
when picking the perfect tree.
First, you need to think about what type of pine tree you want. There are
many types to choose from. To get a general description, see
Types
of Christmas Trees Also, make sure you know your ceiling height.
Second, is overall visual appearance. In this step, the family picks the
perfect tree. Tall or short, wide or narrow. Thick and bushy or a Charlie
Brown tree. Whatever the family wants, the family gets.
Finally, before you cut it down, spend just a couple minutes making sure
it will cause you no problems when you get home.
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Make sure the trunk is straight. A crooked trunk can cause the tree to be
tilted in the stand and worse....fall over.
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Check to see if the trunk at the base is wider than the stand you will use.
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Imagine the trunk fitting into the stand and determine if you will need to
cut any of the branches at bottom of the tree.If so, imagine what the tree
will look like without those branches? Will a hole or gap result?
-
Check the needles to see if they are dry. This is almost never a problem
if you cut your own. But if you go to a Christmas tree lot, those trees may
have been cut weeks ago. Bend a few needles back. If they come off, the tree
is to dry. As a second test, pull on a few needles lightly.
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Your final inspection is for bugs. Check the tree over carefully.
Cut the tree down by sawing as close to the ground as possible. Cut at a
very slight angle. When you bring it home, keep it in the garage or outdoors
until you are ready to put it up and decorate it.
Putting up the tree starts with getting the right base. Avoid the
temptation to go cheap on this item. A small or inexpensive base can cause
the tree to tip over. On the day you are going to put up the tree, cut the
base again. Cut about an inch off at a slight angle. This fresh cut allows
the tree to absorb more water. Before bringing it indoors, shake it thoroughly
to remove dead needles. As soon as you put it in the base, add water then
check and re-fill daily. Decorate and enjoy.
Care and Maintenance translates to a longer lasting and safer tree.It
starts with a fresh cut just before you put up the tree. The second step
is to keep it watered, never letting the stand to dry out. You should also
close and heat vent that is right new the tree. Keeping the room cooler at
night also helps.
There are some products on the market which claim to help the tree to stay
fresh longer. Other home ideas include adding a little sugar to the water
and adding an aspirin.Whether you experiment with any of these, it's your
call.
More :
Glossary
of Christmas Tree Terms Be the subject matter expert and amaze your friends.
Christmas Tree Lights light up your tree and yard.
Buy Flower, Vegetable and Herb Seeds - They're great
stocking stuffers!
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