How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Looking Lively

Christmas will be here before you know it! For many people, the arrival of Christmas brings on a slew of responsibilities: purchasing gifts, figuring out a holiday menu to serve or deciding where to travel. And last but not least, you’ll have to pick out a tree! What happens if you decide on a real fir tree for your holiday decorations? Should you choose one, you may find it quickly starting to fade and look far different than it did at the nursery. Here’s a quick guide on how to help your Christmas tree last ‘til the new year!

Don’t Burn Your Tree

We know one of the most exciting parts about obtaining your new Christmas tree is decorating it! Like many families, you likely have a whole box filled with Christmas tree ornaments you’re just chomping at the bit to use. However, while you may feel tempted to load your tree with oodles of tinsel, shiny glass balls and twinkling lights, too much ornamentation can actually turn your tree into a fire hazard. This holds especially true if you string a lot of lights onto your tree and happen to let it become too dry. Try to go easy on the Christmas lights if you can.

Keep Your Tree Hydrated

Just because your tree has been chopped down and prepped for your home doesn’t mean it needs to evaporate. A hydrated tree is a healthy and happy tree. It will last far longer and look much better when you give your tree water. Most Christmas tree nurseries recommend standing your tree in a pot of water for as long as you’ll have it up. Before you do this, it’s also recommended to saw the base clean by just two inches. This will help the tree’s pores to better absorb the water.

Pick Your Tree’s Stand Well

You don’t want to just plop your tree into any stand and call it a day! Make sure you have one that can properly accommodate the tree without the need for trimming, which can prove dangerous to the tree’s health. It should be both wide and deep and capable of supplying several quarts of water. For every inch the tree’s trunk diameter measures, you’ll need a quart of water. You can find a proper stand at your nearest Christmas retailer.

Only Choose a Healthy, Fresh Tree

Maintaining the health of your Christmas tree actually begins with your initial visit to the nursery. There you’ll be able to tell immediately whether the trees are well taken care of. Should the nursery grounds be littered with shed needles, you’re already off to a bad start. Shedding is an immediate sign of poor Christmas tree health. You want to make sure the tree’s needles don’t break off to the touch, and that it was cut fairly recently. The better health your tree is in, the longer it will last.

At A Time to Shop, we believe everyone deserves a wonderful holiday! As Thanksgiving and Christmas usher into full swing, you can count on us to provide quality tips on how to beautify your celebration and make your holidays even happier. And definitely visit our blog for more tips like these.