A fresh Christmas tree is a must for some families and taking home the perfect one can be daunting for some. With these tips, you’re practically guaranteed to take home the right tree to your family this holiday season.
In most cases, Christmas trees are cut 3-4 weeks before they start arriving onto tree lots around Thanksgiving. To ensure your tree lasts from the time you select it through Christmas, it is imperative that you follow these 4 steps to ensure quality and freshness of the tree:
- Check the branches – grab any branch and pull towards you. If you end up with a handful of needles, the tree is not fresh.
- Crush the needles – if you smell freshness, then it’s fresh. If you don’t smell anything, pass on it.
- Bounce the tree – hold the tree just a few inches above the ground and drop it. If the exterior needles fall off, it’s not a good tree. Falling needles from the inside is normal.
- Fit your tree to your stand – make sure the diameter of the tree trunk fits your stand without cutting away the bark. If you start trimming the diameter of the trunk, you could kill your tree.
Now that you’ve picked out the perfect tree that will fit in your home, here are a few tips to ensure it lasts through Christmas:
- Cut at least 1 inch off the bottom of the trunk to open up the veins that will deliver water to the branches. You can have the lot do this for you if you’re going straight home, but if you plan to do more shopping, you should cut it yourself at home. Otherwise, you’ll risk the trunk sealing itself and you’ll close off those veins.
- Before you tie up your tree, have the lot attendant put it through a shaker to shake off any dead interior needles. You’ll see a lot of needles fall off, this is normal. You’d rather have all those needles fall at the lot versus your living room!
- Place your tree on its stand at home while it’s still tied up.
- Add A LOT of clean water and continually refill. The first couple of days, your tree can absorb at least a gallon of water. Never let the water drop below the trunk or you’ll risk it sealing the veins again.
- Now that your tree is upright and hydrated, remove the ties off the tree. Wait a couple of hours before decorating to let the tree settle and open up.
Quick decorating/safety tips:
- Check your string lights for potential hazards before placing them on your tree.
- NEVER place your tree near the fireplace or candles.
- Place glass ornaments high in households with small children
