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The perfect Christmas tree: fresh is best
By Krista Goerte
Published December 8, 2009
Purchasing a live Christmas tree can provide quite a dilemma.
With practically a whole forest to choose from, decisions when purchasing a tree abound, including what variety of tree to pick, how to tell if the tree is fresh and how to keep the tree alive through the holiday.
The key to enjoying a live tree for Christmas is to be prepared before purchasing.
Picking out a place in the house for the tree is important, as this will decide how large or tall a tree to buy. Note the ceiling height and the width of the space, measuring if necessary.
A business with a well-stocked tree selection will have several different varieties to choose from, each with its own pros and cons.
The most popular Christmas trees sold in this area are the Douglas Fir and the Noble Fir.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the Douglas Fir is popular because of its soft, shiny green needles. When trimming to the conical Christmas tree shape, however, the branches can become thickly placed together, sometimes not allowing much space between the branches for hanging ornaments.
The NCTA recommends buyers take a fairly heavy ornament with them when selecting a Christmas tree to make sure the branches are strong enough to hold some weight.
The Noble Fir is another popular type because of its shape. It has sturdy branches that are still soft to the touch. Unlike the Douglas Fir, the branches are normally spaced far enough apart that ornaments are easily hung.
In Paris, Walmart carries both Douglas Fir and Noble Fir trees. The Home Depot carries Douglas Fir, Noble Fir and Forester trees.
Kroger carries Douglas and Noble Firs. All the Noble Firs at Kroger come with stands; stands are provided only for the Douglas Firs standing between five and nine feet tall.
The NCTA recommends asking how long trees have been on the site to make sure they are still fresh. Fresher trees last longer once they are in the home and are properly watered.
The freshness of a tree can also be tested by bending one of the tree’s needles between the fingers. The needle on a fresh tree will be less pliable.
Other indicators of dryness and deterioration are excessive needle loss, discolored foliage, musty odor, poor needle pliability and wrinkled bark.
Another option when choosing a tree is to head out to the nearest Christmas tree farm — the Ivanhoe Christmas Tree Farm three miles north of Ivanhoe. Tree seekers can take a hay ride out to the field to pick out the perfect tree. At the farm, families can also roast marshmallows or hot dogs over a fire or purchase some hot cocoa from a concession stand. Jellies, candies and cookies are also for sale.
Ivanhoe Christmas Tree Farm sells Virginia Pine trees. For a pine, the Virginia has relatively short needles, approximately one to three inches in length. The tree is known to stay fresh longer than other types of Christmas trees and has a sturdy top — perfect for the heavy tree topper.
The Ivanhoe Christmas Tree Farm can be contacted by phone at 903-583-5460 or by e-mail at www.ivanhoechristmastreefarm.com. The operation is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Other area Christmas tree farms are located in the Greenville/Hunt County area.
Before heading home with that perfect Christmas tree, however, there are a few things to gather at the store.
A Christmas tree stand is a must, as is Christmas tree “food” — a supplement put in the water to help the tree stay fresher, longer. Keeping the tree well-watered in the stand will make sure the tree stays fresh through Christmas.
Picking up a tree disposal bag can also save a lot of mess when taking the tree down after the holiday. The bag can be placed under the Christmas tree skirt for easy access. Remove the tree skirt and stand, and pull the bag up over the tree before taking it out of the house.
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