Care and Disposal of Christmas Trees

Since so much time and effort is put into selecting the perfect Christmas tree, it follows that similar consideration should also be given to giving the tree the best possible care. Otherwise, there will be disappointment if needles start to brown or turn yellow, or branches begin to break with days or weeks to go before the season is over. Safety is also an important reason to take proper care of your Christmas tree because a drying Christmas tree also presents a grave danger as a fire hazard. The average Christmas tree should last for about five to six weeks if the proper care is given to it. After selecting a Christmas tree and getting it home, the first thing that should be done is to make a fresh cut and place it into a stand with water. A Christmas tree shouldn't be mounted dry and the water in its stand should be replenished regularly. A fresh cut is made by cutting about an inch off the bottom in a slight diagonal shape to help the absorption of water. If a fresh cut isn't going to be made immediately after getting the tree home, it should be placed in a container with water and left to stand in a shaded area that is away from the wind. If a fresh cut isn't made and the Christmas tree is left exposed to air, the vessels for transporting water can become blocked. If this happens, another fresh cut can correct the problem and the tree would need to be immediately put in a container with water. Your Christmas tree should be secure in its stand and it should be placed away from open flames or sources of heat such as furnaces, fireplaces and air vents, all of which may dry it out. Decoration of the tree should also begin after it has been mounted in its stand. Several decoration precautions should be taken to lessen or avoid the Christmas tree being a fire hazard. Ornaments that have an open flame or candles should never be used for decoration. Christmas tree lights should be checked to make sure the bulbs are working properly, the connections are intact and that no part of the cord is damaged. If there appears to be any exposed wiring or bulbs that are not working or which are working intermittently, that string of Christmas tree lights shouldn't be used. A good Christmas tree stand should be selected since water is the most important item to getting the longest life out of your Christmas tree. In selecting a stand, find out the amount of water it can hold when a tree is placed in it. Some water will be displaced from the space taken up by the base of the tree so it is important that a selection is not made based on the total volume of water the stand can hold. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the average Christmas tree may absorb up to one gallon of water each day. It is therefore important to check the water everyday and replenish it accordingly. To make sure your Christmas tree gets enough water, the Association recommends that one quart of water is required for each inch of the diameter of the tree's trunk. After Christmas is over and your wonderfully decorated Christmas tree has provided much joy, it is important to remove it before it dries out. Options to discard your Christmas will likely depend on the services offered by your municipality. Some municipalities will pick up Christmas trees on particular days, with a cut-off date. Some towns may require that residents take their trees to specific locations, while in others Christmas trees will be picked up with the garbage, again up to a certain date. But Christmas trees should never be burned in the fireplace as it can cause the build up of creosote, a colorless, oily substance.There's also the choice that you can continue to get a different use from your Christmas tree by cutting it to pieces yourself and be environmentally sensitive by using it for mulch.

Effortless Christmas Tree Decoration

The decoration of Christmas trees has evolved and undergone many changes, much like many of the early traditions of the Christmas season. Christmas tree lighting that started out with real candles underwent probably the biggest change when electric light became commercially available and special Christmas tree lights were manufactured. It is therefore not surprising that today you can set up Christmas trees that are expertly decorated with little or no effort. While many people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its scent, many others simply want a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and will choose an artificial or man-made tree. Artificial trees have been available in America since the start of the 20th century. Many artificial trees are made to have a similar appearance like real Christmas trees, but changes have been made to them to make them decorative and different from regular Christmas trees. As an example, in the 1950s some artificial Christmas trees had branches made of aluminum-coated paper to give them a shiny metallic look. For those who like to have a Christmas tree with a unique look, trees with a similar shiny, metallic appearance are available today. They are however made with a different material because the older trees were a fire hazard. For the those people who are very busy and don't have the time to spend carefully placing Christmas lights on trees, there are several pre-lit models of Christmas trees on the market today. A standard type of these Christmas trees look like their real counterparts except multi-colored fiber-optic lights can be found scattered throughout the limbs and branches of these trees. This arrangement saves time and effort of having to undo or untangle strings of Christmas tree lights. Another type of pre-lit artificial Christmas tree are those that are made completely of fiber optics so that the tree appears to be shaped out of strands of light that are wispy. Some of these brightly-lit fiber-optic trees also come equipped with pre-recorded Christmas songs and carols and speakers to give the added pleasure of music. Many pre-lit Christmas trees have electric Christmas tree lights however which need to be plugged into a real electrical outlet. The advantage of these trees is that the lights are already strung on them from the factory and you need only to follow the instructions about how to assemble the tree and plug in the different parts for it to appear lighted. Once this is done correctly, the tree will look as if it was decorated with lights manually or professionally. Another ready-made decorative feature of artificial Christmas trees is to have the appearance of snow-covered branches. That trend is an evolution of faux snow that is often sprinkled in garlands and wreaths to add a Christmas quality to those decorations. Icicle ornaments are also used to decorate real and artificial trees and icicle lights are commonly used along rooflines and outdoor areas for additional lighting decoration. These decorations, along with the ready-made snow-covered branches of artificial trees, all convey the frosty, icy and cold feel of the winter season when Christmas occurs. Christmas trees that arrive from the factory with lights also have decorations such as apples and minute red berries to provide additional color, and real pinecones that may or may not be frosted or sprinkled with faux snow. They may also be pre-decorated with red or gold bows, round ornaments, flower-like patterns, dried bow and twigs and gold frosted branch tips. to give an appealing, sparkling appearance. The trees also have varying hues of green similar to real Christmas trees. Pre-lit and pre-decorated Christmas trees are therefore an excellent way to brighten the holiday in your home and enable you to gain more time to enjoy the festivities of the season.

Selection of Christmas Trees

Given the many types of Christmas trees available and the various ways in which they can be bought, it's important to know certain qualities that a Christmas tree should have so that it will be suitable for decorating and will also last through the season. One of the most important qualities a Christmas tree should have is freshness. This makes buying a tree from a Christmas Tree Farm the best option because you will observe the tree being cut at the time it is purchased. If a tree is bought elsewhere, such as from a retail lot, it is important to find out where the tree came from and when it was cut. To determine the freshness of a tree, observe whether it looks green and healthy, has a fragrant scent and has needles that are moist and flexible. If the needles appear dry or show browning, then that is a sign the tree isn't very fresh. If a large amount of green needles fall when a few branches of the tree are shaken, that's also a sign that the tree isn't the best one to buy to last for the entire season. The needles of fir trees should break crisply when they are bent. If a fir tree needle is bent and doesn't break readily with pressure, it might mean that the tree isn't absorbing water and that will affect its longevity. Another reason a Christmas tree farm can be a better option for purchasing a Christmas tree is that it will be more likely to offer more species of trees and therefore a wider variety of shapes and sizes. For those Christmas trees that are located on retail or other commercial lots, freshness can be determined by looking at the conditions in which the trees are kept. Observe whether the trees are kept in stands that hold water, if baled trees are protected from the wind and sun, if a fresh cut is put on trees and if the trees are tied down correctly. Another quality to consider in selecting the right Christmas tree is its size. Before buying a tree, its important to decide where it will be placed so that the space can be measured. You will need to do a floor to ceiling measurement and then subtract at least 10-12 inches to get the maximum height for the Christmas tree. It is recommended that at least 10-12 inches of space should be between the top of the Christmas tree and the ceiling. The bottom of the Christmas tree also needs to be checked to make sure there is adequate space between the end of it and the lowest branches. A small diagonal fresh cut, such as an inch, is made in that area to enhance absorption of water, which will make the tree last longer. This cut should be made just before the tree is placed in water. If a fresh cut is done and the tree is exposed to the air too long, the vessels can become blocked. Along with freshness and size, a tree should be selected based on the shape that you like, the smell of the needles and bark and on how dense and sturdy the branches are. For the density and sturdiness of the tree, you need to have an idea how the tree will be decorated - how many heavy ornaments, Christmas lights or bows will be used. As an example, a fir tree that has sturdy branches will be better for holding heavy ornaments and a pine tree is good for Christmas trees that have light decorations such as bows and a string of Christmas lights. The texture of the branches and how durable or long-lasting the tree will be are also worth considering in choosing a perfect Christmas tree.


See more information about Decorating For Christmas

Different Types of Christmas Trees

The tradition of Christmas trees in America came from German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania. It is believed that the tradition of Christmas trees started in Germany from as early as 700 A.D and was practiced by many Germans in the 1800s. It's also since that period that Christmas trees have also been available for sale in the United States. While artificial Christmas trees are popular, many people like to have a fresh Christmas tree in their homes, or outside on their lawns. And similar to all other trees, Christmas trees also have different shapes and qualities that make some types more popular than others. Along with other decorative Christmas items such as wreaths and garlands, having a Christmas tree in your home is very essential in creating a special atmosphere for the season. It is believed that Christmas trees have been available for sale in America since the 1800s, which is about the same time that the former Woolworth's department store started selling ready-made ornaments for Christmas trees. Choosing the right type of Christmas tree is important because Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and traditions. Given the many types of Christmas trees that are available, it is important to think about how the tree will be used. While a tall tree may look very elegant, it may not be suitable if there aren't many adults around who can reach the tree's heights. And a very short tree may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It's therefore very important to carefully consider and get a tree that has a suitable height and also one that has sturdy branches to hold heavy ornaments. Artificial and real Christmas trees can often be bought from the same retail stores these days as local businesses and retail chain stores often sell both types of trees. The best place to get a real and fresh Christmas tree, and also to see a wide variety, is likely a Christmas tree farm however. Using modern technology, both types of trees can also be obtained through online transactions, via telephone as well as by mail-order through catalogs. Among Christmas trees there are certain types that are always favorites and which are bestsellers. These include: Douglas, Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and Scotch, Virginia and white pine trees. These evergreen trees all have all have one or more excellent features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes them favorites for Christmas trees. The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or cone shape. A pyramid-shaped tree is likely taller and has somewhat of an elegant look. Douglas Fir, which ranks first among Christmas tree favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples are Fraser, Balsam and Noble firs. A cone shape tree tends to be short with dense branches, which makes them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations. Families that have a strong tradition of making their own ornaments, or putting mememtos on Christmas trees may consider a cone-shaped tree. Virginia and Scotch Pines, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all have cone shapes. Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their color. While all trees have a green appearance, a closer look at their needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue-green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a silvery sheen, and the branches of both trees are also used for garlands and wreaths. Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance, which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a whiff of scent. Douglas Fir, which is the most popular Christmas tree in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is also fairly fragrant. The Eastern White Pine is however, a tree that doesn't have much fragrance. Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree or will choose one from its appearance, there are many choices to satisfy the desire to have a fragrant and well-decorated tree for Christmas.

See more information about Decorating For Christmas

Christmas Lights

It's only fitting, perhaps, that along with the magic of Santa Claus at Christmas, holiday and Christmas lights also came about through the work of a wizard - the Wizard of Menlo Park in New Jersey - as Thomas Edison was called. It was Edison who first developed and demonstrated an incandescent electric light bulb in 1879 that had commercial potential, an event that led the way for the mass use of electricity and lights on Christmas tree as used today. Before the discovery and use of electricity, candles were used to light Christmas trees. That practice evolved into having glass covers with candles
inside them or metal lanterns that had small wicks. These were hung like ornaments on Christmas trees. But even after Edison invented the incandescent electric light bulb, it took many years before the large-scale manufacture of Christmas tree lights were available commercially. It is said that the idea of Christmas lights came from one of Edison's assistants, Edward Johnson. In 1882, Johnson had Christmas tree bulbs made specially for him. He displayed these electric bulbs on his Christmas tree at his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City and it drew widespread attention. But Christmas tree lights underwent many changes and improvement before General Electric Co. introduced Christmas lights on a commercial scale. As an example, among the earlier lights used on Christmas trees were night-lights that were strung together to make light strings. After the commercial introduction of Christmas lights, sales and wide-scale use of them soared. Decorative mini-lights to be used for Christmas tree lighting were introduced in the 1970s. Since then, they have continued to be popular and are the dominant types of Christmas tree lights in the marketplace. Before that, icicle lights were introduced as decoration for rooflines. Those decorative lights are the most popular ones used for outdoor landscape lighting during the holidays. Outdoor decorative lighting has evolved from Christmas tree lighting to also become a popular way to use colorful lighting during the holidays to create spectacular scenes. Another development in decorative lighting at Christmas time is the use of candles. Real candles can be used, but electric candles became more popular and safer because they present less threat of a fire hazard. Today that threat has also decreased with the development of flameless battery candles. The battery operation also makes their use more flexible because they can be placed in areas where there aren't electrical outlets. Candles are usually displayed at several windows of a house during the holidays. They produce an appealing look especially if there are at least two sets of three windows each other where they can be placed. Battery-operated candles can also be used during Christmas and the holidays for other activities such as caroling, church services, school activities and for other holiday arrangements around the home. As Christmas lights have become a mandatory feature of the holidays, they are continually being used in new ways that differ considerably from their early beginnings. Outdoor lighting is now just as common as indoor lighting and that is an area in which a change in the use of holiday lighting can be seen. Along with icicle lights that illuminate rooflines and frames of houses, there are also lights that are placed in shrubs. Holiday lighting also comes in the shape of trees and other ornaments that can be placed on lawn to enhance the visual appeal during the holidays. Many lawns are landscaped by lighting during Christmas and the holiday season with lighted figurines and various other items associated with the season. In some communities, entire blocks of streets will have such elaborate holiday lawn lighting that they attract passersby and even tourists - residents from elsewhere - who are captivated by the spectacular visual displays of the landscaped holiday lighting.

See more information about Christmas Lights and other decorating for christmas

Decorating Strategies At Christmas

With so much decorative choice at Christmas, a strategy is needed to ensure that whatever is done looks organized, well arranged and beautiful, and not haphazard and disorganized. By doing some basic or traditional decoration, along with trying creative and different ideas, a beautiful and pleasing decorative environment can be created in all homes. Traditional decorating ideas include using wreaths for doors or entranceways and on a wall with unobstructed view. Garlands can be placed along surface where they can be hung vertically or horizontally. And Christmas lights can be used by itself or with garlands, in shrubs and of course on Christmas trees. Using Christmas lights outdoors along the frame of houses and icicle shaped ones to decorate the roof lines of homes have become very popular. Icicle lights are just as easy as regular lights to put in place and they create a very pleasing display for the holiday season. Adding color to these outdoor light displays can also make houses and the lighting display look more spectacular. For indoor lighting, candles have become an attractive Christmas decorative item as they can light up the night in a subdued but beautiful manner. Candles create a pleasing look when displayed at windows if there are at least two sets of two or three windows directly above each other, which is in a vertical pattern. New technologies with candles have also made them safer to use. There are electrical candles but also battery-operated ones that can be used safely instead of electrical ones or in places where there aren't any electrical outlets. There are also creative ways to use and incorporate various items around the home to make Christmas decorations. Christmas or holiday ribbons can be used to make bows that are pinned onto curtains to provide a festive look and a creative Christmas decoration. Like curtains, houseplants can also be dressed up for the holidays. Small Christmas ornaments can be gently placed on houseplants to give porches, patios and front lawns a surprising Christmas decorative look. Although many people don't use Christmas stockings anymore to stuff Christmas gifts, they can still be used to create perfect Christmas decorations. A collection of Christmas stockings can be hung on the mantle, shelf or a wall with or without anything inside them. They will look just as beautiful as those that are often seen in stores. Christmas lights can also be wrapped along with garlands on a banister or stair railing to add a twinkling Christmas look. Mistletoe can also be hung just about anywhere with or without Christmas lights. If the tale about mistletoe is believed however, then it should be hung somewhere with room underneath where two people can have a friendly holiday kiss or even a hug. Fake snow can also be sprinkled on garlands, mistletoes and wreaths to further enhance their appearance with something from the Christmas season. And to borrow a decorative feature from department stores, several differently sized boxes can be wrapped, piled in a haphazard manner and placed in a corner from floor to ceiling to make a gift pillar decoration. Old Christmas cards can also be used for decoration by cutting pictures from them to make a collage. The pictures are then glued onto a poster board that can be framed or hung as is on a wall as Christmas decoration. Even Christmas cookie cutters can be put to an easy, simple and creative use as a decorative item at Christmas time. A ribbon can be used to string two or three or even single cookie cutters that can be placed on the Christmas tree or at a window as decorative ornaments. Any home can therefore be decorated to be appealing for Christmas and the holidays, given the many ideas and ways that Christmas decoration can be done.

See more information and idea about decorating for christmas

Christmas Decorations

The various types of decoration used at Christmas are what gives a pretty and sparkling look, and what puts some splendor into the season. The Christmas tree with its myriad decorations is a standard and central decorative element of Christmas. But the presence of the Christmas tree is also enhanced by decorations such as wreaths, garlands, lights and figurines. Wreaths have a round or circular shape and are often used as the decorative piece on the front of a door. Variations of wreaths include berry, grapevine, poinsettia and snow. The berry wreath will have individual and small clusters of red berries, holly leaves with features like a gold tint, pine cones and needle styles. A grapevine wreath has a vine-like look and may have pine sprigs and clusters of red berry.
Poinsettia wreaths showcase leaves that are red or different shades of red, and may have glittered fruits such as pear, apple and grape clusters throughout its structure. Based on the size of a poinsettia wreath, it may also have large or small pine cones, pine sprigs and holly leaves. And then there are snow wreaths that have an icy look from pine cones that are sprinkled or covered with snow and which are scattered throughout the wreath. Garlands are primarily used to decorate stairways, banisters and mantels. Garlands also have variations such as those that have a lighted Christmas tree look with twinkling lights and tiny ornaments or tinsel to sparkle. Others such as a mixed needle lighted garland would have branches of wide and thin pine needle and Christmas lights. Christmas lights come in various forms and are also used in numerous ways to make homes and business places shine and sparkle during the holidays. Christmas lights may be colored or plain, may or may not twinkle, and may be single-stringed or have multiple strings to be hung to create a look like icicles, which makes them very flexible in how they can be used. To beautify houses during the Christmas season, Christmas lights may be strung around the roof line, in shrubs, placed at windows to form different patterns and placed on patios or porches to hang as icicles. Lighted candles are also used in windows to make them visually appealing. Another type of lighted decoration seen during Christmas is in the form of figures that are placed on lawns. It's a matter of personal taste that decides how many figures to place on lawns, whether a lot or a few pieces or sometimes just a single one may be attractive enough. Christmas trees are the standard decorative elements that are mandatory during the season. They may be real or artificial and can be placed inside or outside. If placed outside, they should be lighted and also in a sufficiently lit but
subdued lighted area to maximize their visual beauty. Christmas trees are wonderful to decorate because the entire family can participate in the decorative process by placing the ornaments, baubles, lights and tinsel on the tree. Some ornaments may even be personal, such as hand-made items or treasured keepsake mementos. When these are placed on the tree every year, it can become a tradition that is kept in the family and which creates a special memory as each Christmas comes around. Poinsettia flowers, with their flaming red leaves, are also a staple decoration at Christmas time. They can be placed wherever it's suitable to place plants. Poinsettias are commonly used around offices in general and personal work spaces during the Christmas season.If there's snow and a lucky 'White Christmas,' especially on Christmas Day, then it's worth it to bundle up and with the children jump into the snow to make a 'Frosty Snowman.' While a smiling snowman on alawn is a temporary decorative feature during Christmas, it's always a surprise and delight because it means that children were out playing in the snow and having fun.Given the many types, variations and ways in which Christmas decorations can be used, everyone can have some pleasure and be creative in arranging some form of Christmas decoration to add their own sparkle and twinkle to the holidays.

See more information and idea about decorating for christmas