Trees, Trees, Trees, Christmas Trees

It's that time of year where you see all the cars with the trees strapped to the roof heading home. Christmas time is a great time of year to be with your family and
friends to share in each others company. 

It's also a time for you to drive out to the tree farms to cut your own
tree or out the garden centers. If you go with an artificial tree like I was
brought up with, that is great too. The artificial trees have come a long way
since I was a kid. I remember right after Thanksgiving dinner my dad would
bring the tree up from the basement, pull the sheet off of it and we'd decorate
it. Then when the holidays were over the sheet went back on and back down into the basement it would go.

Then as I got older and married my wife, I bought a real tree; this is always an adventure and I try every year to go back to artificial. A little less headache, but you don't have the nice aroma. Anyway, for a few years we would drive around to find different tree farms until last year we found a good farm where we will keep going back to. Now, once you have found that "perfect tree" you want to get it home and in water as soon as possible. If you are buying one already cut you'll want to pick it up and give it a little drop on its base to see if a lot of needles fall off. If it loses a lot of needles don't buy it, it's too dry. 

When transporting the tree home make sure to full secure it to your
vehicle. Nothing is worse than getting home and you find no more tree on the
car. Below is a list of things you' want to do and take into consideration when setting up your live tree.

• Cut about 2-3 inches off the stump of the tree. (this is to allow the water to be taken up)

• Use a non-tip  tree holder

• Keep tree a minimum of 3 ft away from all heating elements

• Do not block exits

• Water Daily

• Lights should be UL tested and approved and not have any cracks in the wires

• Do not connect to many end to end lights together - follow instructions on the lights, do not over load plugs and do not run extension cords under rugs

• Turn lights off when not home and going to bed

• Dispose of tree as soon as holidays are over

Keeping these tips in mind can insure a safer holiday
season. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a great new year.