Christmas Crafts-Adorning a Living Christmas Tree or any Other Tree With More Than Just Lights

By taking your common indoor/outdoor light strand and combining it with some light colored plastic ornaments, you can make your house the envy of the neighborhood during the Christmas holiday season with a unique and festive light garland that most folks would not have even considered putting together. 

You will want to start out by prepping your ornaments first.  If you don’t have any that can be spared for this project, you should be able to find starter craft making ornaments at any of your better craft stores or online.  You want to drill a hole large enough on opposite sides of each other on every ornament to be able to feed your strand of lights through, but not so large that the lights easily fall out.  You can make a pilot hole to get started with a smaller drill bit.

Then, just feed your strand of lights through each ornament, evenly spacing however many you made to give a nice coverage to the tree.  I decided to not go overboard, since these were larger size ornaments, and my Leyland Cypress they’d be hanging on might not take too kindly to so much weight.  I spread 16 ornaments over the 5 foot tree.  That’s it.  Hang and enjoy your festive light garland, and store it away as is for the off season ready to hang again next year.  You may want to try using a multi-display type of light strand to vary the light show.

Supplies:

Single plug indoor/outdoor clear Christmas lights (Make sure your single strand will be sufficient for your size tree) Solid color plastic ornaments (must be white or very light colored so light can shine through) Drill gun (Don’t get scared-it’s only a power tool) Drill bit (9/32 size)

Christmas Tree Romance

The time is coming to decorate your home for the holidays. You will soon be decking the halls and painting the Christmas tree with lovely ornaments and tinsel for the whole family to see. Of course, the Christmas season may have bitten you in a more exciting way this year and if it has not you might want to consider letting it bite you just this once.

Start the season off right by picking out your Christmas tree together. The best way to start the celebration is by spending time doing the simple things, like picking out the tree, with one another. Many people believe the start to the season revolves around the Christmas tree trimming ceremony in their home. So, this is the ultimate way to get into the Christmas mood/spirit together.

Why not consider the romantic aspects of the Christmas tree trimming ceremony this year? Whether you are a couple without kids that will be decorating your living room tree or you’ve decided to have your own tree in your bedroom the following ideas are sure to add a spark to your ceremony that was never there before.

Decorating your Christmas tree can be an incredibly romantic event. Have some wine, a nice dinner, and some soft music playing before you begin. Make sure to have all your decorations out beforehand so you will only need to worry about decorating as the evening progresses.

Once you are ready to begin, you can show off your sexy new ornaments. While you will want to add the traditional balls, picture frame ornaments of you together, and special ornaments, you should also sneak in some fun and sexy ornaments, as well. She will be sure to laugh with joy as you pull out the phallic shaped penis ornaments or the other body part ornaments, while he will laugh at the addition of nipple tassels. The ideas for sexy ornaments are endless and well worth the few dollars you will pay to add them to your adult-themed Christmas tree.

Make an evening of your tree trimming celebration by wrapping one another up in tinsel in between all the excitement of the tree trimming. Put the lights on the tree first. This will give you a wonderful excuse to dim the lights and set the mood for a more intimate decorating experience.

A night like this, away from the holiday stress and hustle, will give you the right beginning for Christmas. Relaxing fun with your favorite loved one is not only good for your mental state, but for your relationship as well.

However, trimming the tree is just part of the festivities and magic of the holidays. The symbol of the Christmas tree can be a constant romantic centerpiece this holiday. You might choose to spend the evening wrapped in each others arms, with the tree lights on, while you go over your day or plans for tomorrow. You might want to hide little presents in the tree and let her find them.

Of course, if you are even more adventurous you might want to take advantage of the tree skirt that is located under your Christmas tree. Just think you could lay her under the tree and have the most romantic moment of the evening, as you make love. This moment is certainly the best way to start the holidays together! Of course, this is just the beginning as the entire holiday season offers the opportunity for holiday memories you can reflect upon for many years to come.

Why the Artificial Christmas Tree is a Symbol Item for Most Christian Homes

Trees, naturally are perennial woody plants that have secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a trunk with clear apical dominance. Trees are an important component of the natural landscape, they Beautify our homes, attract wildlife, reduce high speed winds, lower our heating bills, prevent erosion and present a well integrated natural ecosystem. As for the environment, trees consume carbon dioxide in the artmosphere and produse oxygen as a byproduct. With these kind of interaction, the environment is moderated. Trees are also used for landscaping and they are also known to produce a very positive effect on the ground.

The tradition of decorating the Christmas tree is definitely well-known world wide, though few people truly know when and why it appeared. However, the celebration of the birth of Christ was easily paired with this popular custom that is mostly familiar to countries with a temperate or a cold climate where fur-trees grow. While in some cultures, there is no such custom for the winter holidays, in Europe and the American continents, the Christmas tree is a symbol and a must-have item for most Christian homes. This is why decoration manufacturers have come up with the idea of creating artificial Christmas trees, instead of the real ones that are cut every year.

Between the real smell of a fur tree and the richness of an artificial Christmas tree what would you choose? First of all, the artificial Christmas tree came as a very environment friendly solution, since millions of fur trees were cut every year around the winter holidays. Cultivating fur trees for the holidays has even become a profitable business in certain cases, but special measures in some countries have imposed some regulations that protect wooded lands. Therefore, in some parts of the world you can choose between cultivated fur trees, artificial Christmas trees and rented Christmas trees.

For the latter variant, you pay for a small real fur tree that is grown in a pot, and after the holidays you need to return it; when it reaches a certain age, the fur tree will be planted in the wild. As for the advantages of buying artificial Christmas trees, there are manifold, and there are virtually no disadvantages. First of all, you get to save a lot of money since you won’t have to pay for a Christmas tree every year. Then, there is absolutely no mess in your house, and you won’t have to spend hours cleaning the place after removing the decorations.

The color, the texture and the general appearance of the artificial Christmas trees is very close to that of the natural ones. They come in various sizes and designs; certain manufacturers sell them ready made, with all the decorations and lights in the right place. Companies, restaurants, hotels and other businesses working in the service sectors often prefer using artificial Christmas trees to natural ones since they are much easier to deal with. Have a look at the wide offer you can find on the Internet, since it may be a lot more comfortable to have the Christmas tree shipped directly at home.

Christmas Tree Stands

Stands for Artificial Trees:

After spending hundreds of dollars on your Artificial Prelit Christmas Tree or Artificial non-lit Christmas Tree, you want to have a stand that will display your new tree well. Of course there are several different types of stands to choose from. There are stands that hold a two foot tree and on up to those that hold a nine foot tree. From simple stands to heavy duty stands to even revolving tree stands. Most stands for artificial trees have a one and a quarter inch diameter slot, as this is the standard size of the main tree pole or trunk. One of the basic Tree Stands for Artificial Christmas Trees is simple to use and to store, but these types should be setup on a cloth or carpet as they can scratch your floors. These type of stands usually are very simple, when folded they resemble a triangle and when unfolded they make a nice X, which sort of marks the spot for your Christmas tree.

Tree Stands with Rollers:

Of course there are also stands with rollers on them such as the Artificial Christmas Tree Stand which have wheel locks so the stand stays where you want it to stay. These types of stands usually require no assembly as they are shipped completely intact. The wheels are nice as they allow you to place the tree in the stand and then easily rolling it to the place where you want the tree to stand. These stands also are of a heavier construction than the folding stands, so they usually last even longer. But they also hide well under a tree skirt and still give plenty of room to place the presents under the tree.

Rotating Tree Stands:

The Rotating Christmas Tree Stands are a wonderful edition to artificial tree stands as they allow you to plug your tree lights into the stand and then let it slowly turn all the way around to show off your whole Christmas tree. Some assembly is required for this stand but it mainly consists of putting the legs or feet on the base. Small rotating stands can usually only hold about a 75 pound tree or less, anything more would burn the motor out very fast and they handle about 900 lights. For heavier trees there is the EZ Revolving Christmas Tree Stand which can handle up to 2000 tree lights and up to 150 pound artificial tree. The EZ stand is shipped intact and ready to use, it has a smooth durable mound type construction which also makes it easy to cover with a Christmas Tree Skirt. With your artificial tree and this stand you are sure to delight your children for many years to come, as well as impress the neighbors. Just remember, with this stand its E Z.

Stands for Live Trees:

Now we come to live trees, these most often require a Heavy Duty Live Tree Stand. This stand can handle a tree with a trunk up to 6 inches in diameter and up to a 10 foot tall tree. Because of its semi mound shape it can easily be hidden under a Christmas Tree Skirt. It has a good size reservoir for water to help keep your tree fresh, but rather than crawling under your tree to check or add water just use the Live Christmas Tree Watering System to save your back.

A Cat Inspired Christmas Tree With Christmas Cat Ornaments

The Yuletide season requires loads of planning, conceptualizing and decorating, making it a good time of year for families to bond and spend quality time with each other. Every member of the family will get a chance to contribute to decorating the home, and everyone will have a say in the theme that will inspire the Christmas decorations. So if you happen to be a cat lover, then your favorite pet may also make a cool contribution to your Christmas experience. Imagine your Christmas theme this year with a touch of the felines. Your cat will definitely have that quizzical look on her elegant face as she sees the entire kitty inspired features of your Christmas decorations.

Starting with the Christmas tree, the best possible way to give it a cattish feel is by trimming it with Christmas cat ornaments to give the whole tree a cat inspired theme. You can easily find Christmas cat ornaments for sale in the department stores or better still, how about making your own Christmas cat ornaments to add a more personal touch to your tree? And what better way of making your own Christmas cat ornaments than doing it with your kids! All you need are some handy materials, cutting tools, painting sets and sheer creativity.

One problem you may find is when your cat gets really curious about all those enticing cat Christmas baubles and cat Christmas bells hanging on the tree. I for one actually do not find this to be a problem, and I enjoy seeing my feline friend exquisitely playing with the Christmas tree decorations – as long as she does not try to eat the Christmas lights of course. But if you have a problem with this sort of cat behavior, I have the right Christmas cat ornament for you.

This Christmas, cat decorations that you can make with your children will not only liven up your Christmas tree, but also warn you when your cat starts playing with them. This is how it’s done: first of all, you will need some empty plastic Easter eggs, wire in a variety of different colors, some small bells, paints, wire cutters, sheets of felt, glue, glitter, and a small drill or a push pin. Then you need to cut the plastic Easter eggs into halves, and put some designs onto them using the paint, shapes cut from felt, glue and glitter. Just remember to make sure that your design is appropriately cattish. You can draw cats, kittens or anything that has something to do with cats on your halved plastic Easter eggs. When you have done this, put your masterpieces on one side to dry, and start cutting the wire into lengths of three to four inches. You can then twist-tie the colorful wires onto your bells. After doing this, your painted egg halves will probably be dry, so you can now put a hole in the top of each one using the small drill, or by heating a push pin in a flame and then pressing the heated point through the top of the egg.

You can then put the wires with the bells on them through the holes. Loop the end of the wire around your finger and twist tie it to the base. You then have your cat Christmas bells ready for hanging. After putting them up, you can all appreciate the team effort, and when you hear the bells ringing, the culprit is on the loose.

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

My First Christmas Tree

I might also add, with regards to myself at the time apart from being about to run out of my twenties I had gone about 14 years without really enjoying Christmas as this day no longer brought out in me the same enthusiasm which had been so abundant in my younger years. What it was that was missing my conscious was not aware of but what I felt was a certain emptiness on this day though I could see the opposite all around me in shape of everything that this holiday season had to offer. It was as if the decorated store windows, Christmas songs and all that lead up to the day itself went by me without arousing in me the slightest emotion that went beyond any other day of the year.

Despite all I can not claim that the cause of my apathy was because I had grown any aversions to Christmas but the trappings no longer fascinated me for my age was one that had witnessed them coming and going to the point where I knew not what to look forward to on this day. As for the presents, they were perhaps still interesting but I was no longer an infant who could count on them even if his financial situation did not allow to give them and the situation was not one that I expected to see any Ferraris or even Giorgio Armani suits under the tree.

All the same it was with my mind set on getting a Christmas tree that I left my apartment in downtown Warsaw and headed for the nearest mini mall where I was certain trees for the holiday were being sold. Naturally with the mini mall being less then half a kilometer away it did not take me long to reach it and there it was in front of the mall that I saw a man standing on the street selling artificial Christmas trees which seemed like a bargain. This man I will never forget had trees in 3 heights and prices. The first standing at 130 cm for 100 PLN (Polish New Zloty), the second at 150 cm for 125 PLN and the third one at 170 cm for 150 PLN. I seeing what this man had to offer inclined to take the largest tree but did not do so thinking that their might lurk a better offer somewhere in the mall so it was with this idea that I went inside the place where Mrs. Margaret Thatcher while being Prime Minister did some shopping of her own during Poland’s communist era.

This place which I am referring to is officially known in Poland as “Hala Mirowska” and it was there where I saw trees which in truth were slightly nicer as they were fuller as well as being some centimeters taller but however came at prices that ranged from 450 PLN to 900 PLN. The USD being at an exchange rate of 3 PLN to the Dollar makes it easy to see why I opted to retrace my steps to the man with the more reasonably priced trees. It was not really that I could not afford to get one of the more expensive trees but it just did not seem to make any sense to spend several times more for what would have amounted to more or less the same. Needless to say I got a tree from the first man, selecting to take the one that stood at 170 cm home in a taxi.

Once I had the tree home I needed to find a place where I could store it till the time was right to put it up after all it was the first of December and if my memory served me well trees were not usually put up till at least the 16th of the month. Of coarse there was the example of my sister who decorated hers on the 8th of the month which seemed like the concept I would follow and would have, had I actually found a place to the store the tree as the closet space was taken up by something or other. What would I do? Where would I put away the tree? Were the questions that my mind could not solve but then it came to me as I said to myself in the same way Scarlet O’Hara did in “Gone With The Wind” ,“I can’t think about that now. I’ll think about it tomorrow!” (well in my case after Christmas) so it was under the guidance of this theory that I put up my Christmas tree on the first of December with a slight worry that it might be a tad too soon.

Once I had the tree up I noticed that something was conspicuous because of its absence and that being decorations and perhaps lights so it was with the goal of completing the task I had already embarked on that I left home once more. Again it was “Hala Mirowska” that I set out for the accessories I had left out that would make this a tree truly a Christmas one. All that I saw was grand and shop I did to the point of being about to drop as I got all the items that my youth had always associated with Christmas. A reef, lights for the tree, bulbs in all season colors and in several sizes, CDs of Christmas songs and carols, and other decorations for the tree were what my second outing saw me purchase that day.

It was with childlike enthusiasm that I got home with all my treasures and started to adorn the tree with all the ornaments that Christmas stipulated while listening to those classics that brought back so many an idea from the past. Songs like “The Christmas Song”, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” and “Jingle Bells” (a song that has nothing to do with Christmas other then mentioning snow) along with carols like “O’ Come oh Ye Faithful” , “Hark the Herald” and “Silent Night” (arguably the most famous of all) were sweetly pouring out of my speakers filling up the atmosphere with Christmas like I had not known since my expired years could be represented by one digit. It was as if the music was moving and controlling my actions and what my mind pondered as I went about the house putting up the decorations.

It was with care and taste that I festooned the apartment with the intensions of bringing back that holiday feeling that had been lacking for so long as it was with the new lady in my life who had not been there the previous year that I wished to share it. All was ready for her arrival. She had still not gotten back from her place of employment and as I waited I could see the work I had done which filled me with a certain sense of pride. I saw how the room as well as the ambiance had changed because of a simple tree that contained ornaments and music that perhaps in any other time of the year would have caused tediousness.

Hanna, the mother of “The Little Opera Singer” eventually arrived home to see how I had transformed the apartment in to something that resembled a shopping store window prompting her to add her eagerness to the scene. She would go on to tell me many years later how strange she found it at first fore she was not accustomed to seeing a Christmas tree so early but that after looking at it for sometime she started to get that feeling that Christmas was on its way. Naturally the music along with the tree enthused us as we planed our Christmas and what we were going to get one another.

The following days went by bringing Christmas ever closer with this tree of the season serving my girlfriend and I as a permanent reminder that soon that day would be upon us on which we would exchange presents and feel the delight of having one another. It even seemed unbelievable that a tree could do all this. The effect naturally was stronger at night with its lights a flashing. It even seemed to mesmerize us in to a peaceful sense of happy tranquility that could not really be compared to any other as we looked at the tree which had taken on a life of its own for we could gaze upon its simple form and find comfort. It was then that I figured out what had gone amiss for so long and what now was back to stay for every Christmas to follow. I might add that this holiday season was also kept busy with several visits from not only myself but my girlfriend to the department stores as well as other stores to do that required shopping that make the time of year beautiful.

Christmas eve eventually came but contrary to Polish tradition most Americans treat this evening as a time of reflection for the celebrations to come the following day rather then as a festive one so it was next to our tree that we spent this evening. Watching those classics such as “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and “It’s a Wonderful Life”, that never seem to age as this time of year also does not and me reading “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore was what we chose to do on our eve of Christmas. It also being that it was our first Christmas together I decided to share some other American Christmas traditions such as eggnog which I made remembering that it was rum that it should include.

And as must be the case Christmas followed its evening which took us out of our slumber bright and early to open up those presents which we had so tenderly purchased for each other. Perhaps it was not another Giorgio Armani Suit that I got but a bottle of eau de toilet by the same designer which was not unwelcome by me. As for Hanna she opened the “Tissot” watch I bought her which she wears till this day. The day was with us and for the two of us nothing could have been more perfect as we were having ourselves a merry little Christmas.

Christmas Tree Storage Bags

Artificial Tree Storage Bags For Decorated Trees:

So when Christmas is over and your thinking about the cleanup that follows the holidays, what do you do with your tree? If you’ve bought a live tree you may just throw it out with the trash or maybe call your city government and find where you can take it so it can be turned into mulch that your city will use in their parks. But if you have invested money in a Christmas Trees Artificial what do you do? You don’t want to toss it into the attic or the garage where bugs can move in and make it their home. You want to protect your investment, but how? TreeKeeper Storage Bags are the answer! TreeKeeper bags are made using high quality materials. They are constructed from a woven nylon fabric so that they are tough and durable. The bag also doubles as a tree skirt during the season. With these Tree Bags there is no need to disassemble your tree each year, simply place your tree in the base and use the bag as a skirt, once your ready to store your tree simply pull the woven nylon fabric up over the tree. Depending on which TreeKeeper bag you have like the TreeKeeper Rolling Artificial Tree Storage Bags you will also need to compress it but for the Artificial Tree Storage Bags For Decorated Trees you are good to go and ready to roll it to its storage place. Tree Keeper also makes durable Duffel Artificial Christmas Tree Storage Bags, but these require you to disassemble your tree first before storing it.

Christmas WreathKeeper Storage Bag:

People with wreaths often run into the same problems as people do with trees. You have spent money on a lovely Artificial Christmas Wreaths and Pre-lit Christmas Wreaths and want to protect it so that it will last for many years to come. So TreeKeeper made the Christmas WreathKeeper Storage Bag. These bags are sized to hold a wreath of equal size to keep it protected. And by keeping the bag the correct size you don’t end up with a lot of excess bag as you might with the one size fits all type. There are also 36 Inch Canvas Wreath Christmas Storage Bag, these are tough canvas bags which are also of the same size as the wreath. With several options for Wreath Storage your sure to find one that fits your needs.

Ornament Storage Boxes:

Besides Christmas Trees and Christmas Wreaths, there are a lot of Christmas Accessories that need to be stored away as well. Many people have their favorite ornaments that they want to protect while in storage and once again TreeKeeper has the answer with the Christmas Holiday Ornaments Storage Box, which can hold ornaments of varying sizes and even the Christmas Tree Toppers. Most everyone also ends up with more wrapping paper, ribbons and bows than they need. For these people there is the Wrapping Paper Storage Bags, which can hold these entire things in a secure, organized way. This way when its time to wrap presents next year you know where everything is without looking in all the old hiding spots.

Christmas Tree- How To Choose The Right One

The selection and purchase of a Christmas tree is an annual tradition for most families. Today, selecting the perfect tree is one of the highlights of many families’ pre-holiday preparations. There are many types of trees used as Christmas trees, some of the different types are, the Douglas fir, Scotch Pine, Blue Spruce, The North Carolina Fraser Fir to The Noble Fir.

The selection of your tree will depend on a number of factors such as your budget and the size of the space you will be hosting your tree in. For a house a tree of about 6 feet is ideal, for a small size apartment or office a tree of about 4 feet is adequate. How you decorate your Christmas tree is a matter of budget and personal taste. However; the purchase of your Douglas Fir or Scotch Pine or Blue Spruce kicks off your yuletide festivities in earnest. For many people, decorating the Christmas tree is a favorite part of the holiday season. In fact, the Christmas tree is one of the most recognizable images of the season.

The person more commonly credited with bedecking the first Christmas tree is Martin Luther (1483-1546). The tradition to decorate the Christmas tree is about 500 years old. A Christmas tree is considered mature and ready for harvest when it reaches 6 to 7 feet, the most popular height desired by consumers. The more visible and less expensive cut Christmas tree is the Douglas fir. The most popular Christmas tree is Scotch pine. When a Christmas tree is cut, over half of its weight is water this should signal the necessity of getting your tree home quickly and erecting it in a suitable stand. To prevent a fire hazard later fill the stand with water even if you are not ready to decorate the tree. Remember that you will most likely be putting color lights on your tree which is a source of heat and can ignite a fire with the dried needles.

Decorating the tree (trimming the tree) is as individual as each family, further each member of the family will have their ideas of what should go to make up the look of the final trimmings. Some people like the traditional star at the top of the tree others like other things at the top just for variety. Again the body of the tree can be festooned with anything from handmade ornaments to high priced Christmas items bought in the store. Remember this is a time of celebration, joy and togetherness of friends and family. Compromise is one of the keys to keeping the mood light, festive and in the spirit of goodwill to all.

What ever you buy some time needs to be spent learning which species you prefer, The Douglas Fir, The Scotch Pine, The Blue Spruce or another kind. Obviously your final choice will be determined by your budget and the size of your hosting space. The Christmas tree is a symbol of a living Yuletide spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. Like many other Christmas traditions, the universally-popular Christmas tree is derived from a fusion of Christian ideas with the older pagan traditions. Whatever its origin the Christmas tree has added much joy and pleasure to the festive tradition over the years.

Christmas Tree – Are You Ready?

Well it is that time of year and you may be getting ready to go get your own Christmas tree for the holidays. Here are some tips:

Artificial vs Real – What is the best decision?

If you are wondering if buying a real tree is still a good idea or will you end up depleting precious natural resources, consider these facts.

The majority of the trees being sold as Christmas trees are grown on farms just for this purpose and for each of these trees chopped down for your home, another 2 to 3 are planted. Farms for Christmas trees are actually ecologically beneficial as every acre of trees provides enough fresh oxygen for 18 people and they actively cleanse the air. Also, these farms help preserve open space and provide habitat for wildlife. On the other hand artificial trees, when discarded will last for centuries in the landfill.

So you may be better off getting a real tree rather than a fake one for all the same reasons you have been refraining from using materials that are not biodegradable.

How To Measure

Before you go shopping, get out your measuring tape and take some notes so you don’t have to prune and trim and practically destroy a beautiful tree when you get home. Remember a tree out in the open will look much smaller than it will in your living room. So go prepared!

Measure the ceiling height for the space you have chosen for your tree. Most ceiling are 8 feet but you may have 9 feet ceilings. From this subtract the height of your tree topper ornament and the height of your tree stand. For most people 6 to 7 feet tall trees are ideal. You may also want to measure the approximate width if you are planning to put your tree in a corner and are tight on space. You may also notice while searching that most trees will have one side that is less full. This is a natural result of sunlight being weaker on the north facing side of all plants. This can help better fit a tree in a corner.

How to Select the Best

If you have not grown a tree for this specific purpose you can go to farms where you can pick a tree and have them cut it down for you. Although these are the options that ensure the freshest tree, I realize most of us in urban areas have to purchase it from a retail lot.

Here are some tips on how to select a healthy tree:

-Determine the kind of species the retailer is selling and decide on the specific one you want. The best species for use as Christmas tress are fir as they do not shed a lot of needles specially as they are drying out. They also have good foliage color and scent. But you can select from a wide variety these days.

- Use the measurements you brought with you.

- Once you have specimen in mind, ask about when it was cut down. As you may suspect, more recently chopped down trees will last longer. And with proper care you can have your tree looking healthy for a long time.

- Examine your potential tree carefully. A good specimen will look healthy and green and with a potent fragrant.

- If it has dry, brittle twigs, a musty smell or any sign of dryness or browning it is your indication to move on to the next tree.

- Broken branches or any damage to the trunk or bark is also a good indicator to find another tree.

- The tree limbs should be strong enough to hold your ornaments and lights.

- The leaves or needles should be soft and flexible and should not snap or break when bent. You do not want a tree that is already losing excessive needles. There are couple of ways to check this. If you run you hand over a branch the needles should not all come off in your hands. Do a quick shake test – if you get a shower of needles move on to the next tree. Or you can bump the tree against the ground from a height of about one foot and again a shower of needles is no good. Just remember that some loss of leaves or needles is normal, specially from the interior of the tree.

If you are diligent and select a healthy, fresh tree and take care of it appropriately it will easily last you a good 5 to 6 weeks or more – all the way from Thanksgiving to after Christmas.

How to Transport It

Once you have selected the perfect tree for you, you want to get it home without putting it under any stress. Many retailers provide a delivery service but if they don’t or you want to take it home yourself, follow these simple tips:

- Ask if the seller has a tree shaking service. This service removes the loose dead needles from the inside of the tree so you don’t have a mess in your vehicle or home. Remember this is the natural loss of leaves on a healthy tree specially on the interior.

- Ask the supplier to wrap your tree in netting. This will make handling a lot easier and will reduce stress on the tree.

- If you traveling far with your tree or tying it on top of a car, you may want to further wrap it in a tarp.

- If you are not carrying it in a enclosed vehicle, tie it with the bottom of the tree facing forward to minimize needle loss.

Protect the tree best you can on the way home so you have the tree in the same shape as when you selected it.

How To Set It Up

Once you have your tree home, you need to prepare it for its stand. If you are going to store it for a while before setup, see the Storing Your Tree section.

Cut off about a half of one inch of wood from the base of the trunk and immediately put in a bucket of water or your tree stand that already contains water. The reason for the cut is that it exposes new, moist, live cells on the trunk that will more easily absorb water. Do not cut the base at a diagonal as you may have heard from some people. Only the bottom couple of inches of the trunk absorb water so a diagonal cut does not help but does the opposite. If you are reluctant to cut the tree yourself or have no tools, ask your supplier to do this before you transport the tree home. Do not get the base dirty and be sure to immediately place it in water when you get home. This is only recommended for a short travel distances.

Use an appropriate size tree stand. The stand should be able to hold enough water, about a days worth, and should be able to accommodate the tree trunk comfortably. Never shave off the side of the trunk or bark to fit it into the stand. This will greatly reduce the life of your tree. At this point you may want to consider placing a tree bag under the stand to make the eventual removal of the tree less challenging. You can hide it under your decorative tree shirt easily.

During the first 24 hours after the fresh cut, a tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water or more so watch it carefully. Use only plain water in the tree stand. All the hype about evaporation reducers and chemicals for preservation do not help. Also, warm water is of no benefit. If possible use room temperature water or just cool out of the tap is fine.

How To Care For It

A freshly cut tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water or more in the first 24 hours after it is cut. After that the general rule is that a tree needs approximately one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter. Use only plain water in the tree stand. All the hype about evaporation reducers and chemicals for preservation do not help. Also, warm water is of no benefit. If possible use room temperature water or just cool out of the tap is fine.

An adequately watered tree will not only look and smell wonderful, it will not shed as many leaves or needles and the branches will not droop. But the most important reason to keep your tree and the leaves moist is to prevent a fire hazard. Try to use miniature lights for decoration as they produce less heat and therefore are less drying to the tree. Always keep the tree stand filled with water so the bottom is never exposed to air and allowed to dry. This can happen very quickly and dried sap will form a barrier resin over the cut end of the tree stump. If this resin forms on the base, it will prevent the tree from absorbing enough water and your tree dry out and die. The only remedy at this point will be to make a fresh cut on the bottom of the trunk and start over.

Storing Your Tree Before Setup

So you have selected the perfect tree, brought it home but are not quite ready to put it in the house and start decorating. There are some things you must do to ensure freshness for when you are ready to move it in.

Cut off about a half of one inch of wood from the base of the trunk and immediately put in a bucket of water. The reason for the cut is that it exposes new, moist, live cells on the trunk that will more easily absorb water. Do not cut the base at a diagonal as you may have heard from some people. Only the bottom couple of inches of the trunk absorb water so a diagonal cut does not help but does the opposite. If you are reluctant to cut the tree yourself or have no tools, ask your supplier to do this before you transport the tree home. Do not get the base dirty and be sure to immediately place it in water when you get home.

Place the tree in a cool, shaded area where the tree will not be exposed to wind, extreme cold, very warm temperatures or sunlight. All of these conditions will reduce the life of your tree. Ideally an unheated garage is a great place. You still need to check on the water level each day so your tree does not dry out. Remember during the first 24 hours after the fresh cut, a tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water or more so watch it carefully. Thereafter, a general rule is that a tree needs approximately one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter.

When you are ready to take it indoors or into the final display area, a fresh cut to the base is recommended but not absolutely necessary. Just be quick during transport so the base does not dry out and sap resin does not form.

How to Remove, Dispose and Recycle

Although we all have a specific date in mind to tackle tree removal, you must constantly monitor your tree for dryness. As soon as you see the signs you must remove the tree immediately to prevent a fire hazard. Make sure you remove all decorations and lights; yes even the tinsel has to go for the tree to be prepared for recycling.

The best way to avoid a mess removing your tree is if you already placed a tree bag under the stand during setup. This plastic bag allows you to cover the entire tree by just pulling it up so you can carry the tree and stand outside without creating the huge mess that most of us are familiar with.

Do not burn your tree in a fire place or wood stove. Most Christmas trees have a lot of sap which can flash when lit and create chimney fires. Your tree is not dried enough and prepared for burning as most logs are.

Most cities and towns will pick up your tree on designated days and recycle them for you. Or you can use your tree in your own lawn and garden. Just put it through the chipper and come spring use it as any other mulch.