Picking The Right Christmas Tree

Posted on by Forest in Uncategorized

Picking The Right Christmas Tree – Getting a big messy tree and stuffing it into our house for a couple of weeks can be a bit of a chore but something that if done right can be painless and really helps the kids (and kids at heart) with the Christmas spirit.

Picking The Right Christmas Tree

Picking The Right Christmas Tree

I thought I would share some of my tips for picking the right one for you and your family.

1. Measure – This seems obvious but has to be said. Be honest, how many times have you had to cut the top off a tree to fit the fairy or star up there? Measure your height and diameter space. Take those measurements with you and don’t lose them. You need to give enough space either side for movement around the tree and headroom above the fairy / star / top ornament. You don’t want the tree looking like it’s been stuffed it. You’ll also want to measure your vehicle too to make sure it will somehow fit in there.

2. Buy sustainably and locally if possible

Christmas trees grow fairly easily (but not always natively) so you’ll find a lot of farms and small mom and pop operations selling this year. Some have a fixed price, some use the honesty system and people even do cut your own (which is a lot of fun with the family). I would avoid buying pre-wrapped trees from the box-store garden center, it’s easy but not supportive of local business and you don’t know where they come from. A good local tree grower / farm will likely have a sustainable system of planting and being that the only travel the tree will do is from the ground to your house that cuts down on its carbon footprint.

3. Take the whole family

I think cut your own is the best, especially if the kids get a go on the saw! The buying and choosing of the tree should be an event, something kids remember to take as a tradition for their kids. Wrap up warm, take some snacks and drive around the lanes or go to a familiar farm to choose the tree.

4. Pay attention to shape from all angles

You don’t necessarily want a perfect tree but don’t just grab the first one that looks about the right size. Do measure it, also look at it from all sides and try to make sure it doesn’t lean too much. Also try to make sure it isn’t bald in one spot and full in another. If the shape is a bit off, can it be trimmed? Just take your time and consult the rest of the family.

Picking The Right Christmas Tree: When To Buy Artificial?

The other option is a plastic tree. These days some look almost real and in a large room quite indistinguishable. If you know any of your guests or anyone in the house will have a pine allergy then it could be courtesy to not have a real tree. Also if you have crazy pets it will save you a lot of clean up. There is a case for environment too as the trees are re-usable but a good tree farm should be sustaining anyway and it’s good to supply business to sustainable farming.

I’d love to know how your tree buying goes this year and what tips you found to be worth sharing.

Related: Homemade Christmas Gifts

Thanks for reading.