Christmas Trees: Artificial and Live

Do you get a real Christmas tree every year? Do you take the family down to the corner lot and spend an hour looking for just the right Christmas tree? Or do you take off to the mountains with your saw and a thermos of hot chocolate? Or maybe you just go to the closet or storage shed and haul in your old tree... or maybe you'll go to the department store this year in search of a new artificial tree.

If you celebrate Christmas, the chances are that a Christmas tree, whether you prefer live or artificial, is central to your decorations.

Artificial trees

Artificial Christmas trees have come a long way from the sheer, sometimes awful and sometimes delightful, fakery of a few decades ago. Now you can get replica firs, pines and spruce, lighted or not, frosted with "snow" or not, and even decorated or not! They're put-together, or pop-up creations that become a tree from a box of plastic green stuff in minutes. They're flame retardant, come with their own stand and look natural (more or less).

The greatest thing about artificial trees, of course, is that they save money. Most will last many years, saving the cost of buying a live tree many times over. You can even spend a lot of money on one and justify the cost because it will last so many years.

If you're thinking of switching to an artificial tree this year, remember that they don't smell like the real thing! You can find candles or sprays that smell like pine, but the best (and cheapest) way is to use pieces of the real thing.

Go to a live tree sales lot and ask for broken branches or other scrap, or if you have evergreens on your property, clip a few small branches. Decorate with these pieces and your home will smell just like you're using a real tree. To refresh the smell throughout the season, snip a small piece from the cut end of a twig or small branch and the odor is fresh again.

Another thing to remember is that you'll need storage room for an artificial tree after Christmas. If you don't have a storage shed or store room, you may be able to store it under the bed or in a spare closet, but not if you get a large one. Look at the box it comes in to see how much room you'll need, as you'll probably be storing it in that for several years.

You can buy bags for storing artificial Christmas trees when their boxes wear out, or when you get tired of trying to shove it all back in there (how do they get all those branches to fit, anyway?). It's simple to make your own, though. While it may not look as fancy as the ones you pay for, a homemade tree bag consists of a large piece of material (think: old sheet, bedspread, etc.) and two or three seams. Simply fold the material to the shape of a large bag, sew up the open seams and insert the tree. Make the bag a foot or so longer than the tree is tall, and tie the ends closed. (Use your tree dimensions to make sure it fits before sewing!)

Just can't handle artificial when it comes to Christmas trees?

Live trees

A live Christmas tree smells like Christmas. Dropping needles, water bowl and all, a live Christmas tree is beloved by many. If you've never had one, it's an experience you owe yourself. Just remember these things.

A live tree doesn't last long once it's brought indoors to a warm environment, so don't buy it too early in the season. If you do buy it much before Christmas, keep it outside where it's cold until at least 10 days before Christmas.

Before you set it up, make a fresh cut on the trunk so the tree will take water. Make sure it has plenty of water to start with and check it regularly. A special mix made to help the tree absorb the water through the trunk will help keep it from drying out too quickly.

Don't buy the fullest, biggest tree you can find. Remember that ornaments and other decorations will go on a tree and one that's too full may not look that pretty when it's loaded with decorations. You will usually turn a tree so the prettiest side is what you see, so look at all sides before you buy.

When they're sold by the foot, if you think you need a six foot Christmas tree, buy a five foot one and save yourself the cost of the extra foot. Use a tall Christmas tree topper instead - one that you can use every year. If you want the tree still taller, set it on a small box and cover the whole thing with a tree skirt.

If you can't afford, or don't want to buy a tree this year, ask if you can have broken branches or other scrap from a live tree sales lot. You might be surprised at what they will give you. Even a pile of pine needles will bring a fresh scent of Christmas to your home - for free. If you get a few twigs or small branches, using a few wire coat hangers or light weight wood or even cardboard, a pair of pliers and a good imagination, you can put together a "tree," or a wreath or any number of other Christmas decorations.

Whatever you use to decorate for Christmas, a live tree, an artificial tree or a few scraps of evergreen, decorate it with love and remember that Christmas trees are meant to be admired, no matter what kind they are.