Cathy Isom reminds us about some things to remember when shopping for that perfect Christmas tree. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
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Millions of families use “real” cut Christmas trees for their holiday celebration. Most coming from Christmas tree farms or sold at tree lots – and most likely all of them coming from far, far away. According to the National Christmas Tree Association 56 million trees are planted each year for future Christmases and 30 to 35 million families will shop and buy real Christmas trees this year.
Some important things to keep in mind if you love selecting a real tree and you want to enjoy its beauty and fragrance for as long as possible. When buying a cut tree from a retail lot, the main thing to remember is freshness. The needles should be resilient. Take hold of a branch and pull your hand toward you, allowing the branch to slip through your fingers. Most, if not all, of the needles, should stay on the Christmas tree. Then, raise the tree a few inches off the ground and drop it onto the trunk. Very few green needles should drop off, though it’s fine for the tree to lose a few brown ones. And also be sure to select a tree that has been displayed in a shady, not a sunny, location.