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Category: Articles » Home & Family » Article » Article Code

Have Yourself a Merry (and Safe!) Little Christmas

If you've ever had a real tree in your home for the holidays, you know there's nothing quite like it. Sure, artificial Christmas trees are great and are no-brainers for convenience and safety, but a real tree brings to life age-old Yuletide traditions. Each year, around 30 million homes opt for live trees, according to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA). But, as referenced, live trees do carry more of a safety issue than the artificial variety. Namely, a poorly maintained live tree quickly becomes a fire hazard within the home. Thankfully, there are steps you can take ... read more

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If you've ever had a real tree in your home for the holidays, you know 
there's nothing quite like it. Sure, artificial Christmas trees are great and 
are no-brainers for convenience and safety, but a real tree brings to life 
age-old Yuletide traditions.
Each year, around 30 million homes opt for live trees, according to the 
National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA). But, as referenced, live trees do 
carry more of a safety issue than the artificial variety. Namely, a poorly 
maintained live tree quickly becomes a fire hazard within the home. Thankfully, 
there are steps you can take to aid your quest in making your live tree as safe 
as possible.
It begins with the selection process. Your goal is to purchase the freshest 
tree possible. Obviously, unless you cut it yourself or watch a harvester cut 
it, you won't know how fresh the tree is unless you ask. When purchasing a 
pre-cut tree from a vendor, ask the sales associate when the tree was cut and where it came from. If you 
live in New York, for example, and the tree came from Oregon - then you know it 
has been cut for at least a couple of days, most likely.
A cut tree quickly loses moisture. So examine the needles or leaves closely. 
Look for a tree with green needles and very few brown needles. Many trees are 
sprayed to retain their green color longer, so go one step further by feeling 
the needles themselves. They should be moist and pliable. If they break when you 
bend them with your fingers they are too dry.
If you must store your tree for several hours or a day before putting it in 
your home, do not store it in direct sunlight. A better option would be in a 
garage where it will be out of both light and the wind, both of which will dry 
it out more quickly.
Before you erect your Christmas tree, make a fresh cut on its trunk, about 
one-half inch above the vendor's cut. This will allow your tree to "drink" from 
its base more readily. Your water stand should hold one gallon of water and will 
need to be replenished frequently. Place your tree in its base immediately after 
your secondary cut, and make sure the base has hot water in it when you first 
erect your Christmas tree. The hot water will help prevent the freshly cut base 
from sealing itself off, thereby allowing it to absorb more water.
Where you place your tree within your home is paramount. It needs to be away 
from heat sources. Do not put your live Christmas tree near a fireplace, radiator, furnace, heating 
vent, etc.
As previously mentioned, you want a Christmas tree stand that will hold at 
least one gallon of water. A dry tree is an invitation to disaster, so check the 
water level daily and make sure to always keep it full. Do not make the mistake 
of waiting until it is empty or low to re-fill it.
Another common mistake homeowners make with live trees is buying and erecting 
them too early. Three to four weeks is about the limit for a live tree, even one 
that is extremely fresh at purchase and well watered and maintained inside the 
home. Keep a close eye on the amount of water the tree takes in each day. When 
your tree no longer consumes the water, it's time to take it down.
Lastly, when decorating the tree, use miniature light bulbs instead of large 
bulbs, because they'll put off less heat. And, never - NEVER - place Christmas 
candles or any other source with an open flame in, around or near your Christmas 
tree.

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