Are you ready for Christmas 2022? I am sure you are super excited to celebrate your Christmas in India and looking for the best Xmas Tree to bring home this year. But, you need to know about these 6 lesser-known facts about Christmas trees before you begin your Christmas tree shopping.
Besides these facts, there are other things that you need to know before you go out on your Christmas Tree Shopping. So, in this article, you will find tips to buy Christmas trees for first-time buyers with ways to keep your tree fresh for the longest.
6 Little-Known Facts about Christmas Trees
Let us begin with the little-known facts about Christmas trees to spice up your knowledge of these. Then we will go on with learning about the Christmas tree to get you started on your Christmas preparations.
1. Upside-Down-Hanging Christmas Trees
Did you know that Christmas trees were hung upside down in ancient times? Originating in Central and Eastern Europe, there was a tradition which required the tree to be hung from the ceiling upside down. It was supposed to be loaded with sweets which were used to deceive and nourish the souls of the dead to free them from the reasons to harm anyone.
2. Germany gave birth to Artificial Christmas Trees
The first ever artificial tree was created in Germany and it was not plastic. German people took goose feathers and dyed them green to create leaves. These leaves were stuck to branches to create an illusion of green branches. These branches were then attached to a rod which was the stem of the artificial tree. The fake branches were wrapped in a way that the tree looks very close to the real one.
3. 4 Years for one Christmas Tree
If you want a Christmas tree at its ideal height which is 1.8 to 2.1 metres, then you need to wait for at least 4 years. However, it is the least time a tree could take to grow to the mentioned height if you are lucky. The average time for Christmas trees to grow this long is between 6 and 7 years.
4. Martin Luther
As a matter of fact, no one used to put lights on the Christmas tree at the beginning of time. Of course, because there were no electric lights back then but the point is, sweets were the only things hanging on the tree. Then Martin Luther, the Protestant of the sixteenth century, decided to put candles on his Christmas tree. This trend caught up really fast and was later replaced with electric lights.
5. Beware of insects
Did I mention the insects? I am sure it is a very common thing to remember but I would not be surprised if you missed it. The real Christmas trees were born on the land and like every other natural tree, it also has insects living on them. When you bring one home, make sure to shake it well and carefully before taking it into the house. You never know whose house you might bring to your house.
6. Artificial Christmas Tree Not A Friend Either
For those who consider cutting Christmas trees a harm to nature, please note that artificial Christmas trees are even worse.
Unlike the initial goose feathers Christmas trees, now we get plastic Christmas trees in the market. The process of producing and disposing of these trees releases harmful chemicals into the air.
However, when we plant a tree for Christmas, it produces oxygen during its ageing process whereas it becomes manure upon disposal which is a great source of energy for the planet.
Tips to buy Christmas Trees for First-Time Buyers
If you are going to buy a Christmas tree for the first time in your life, then please read these tips mentioned below to get the right tree on your first try:
1. Allergies
Please make sure you, your family members or your friends do not have any kinds of allergies which can get irritated by the Christmas tree.
2. Budget
Make sure to fix a budget before you physically go to the shop. You can set it up with the help of the internet which can get you the approximate prices of the trees. Also, you can call potential suppliers and ask about their price ranges.
3. Space
Well, the budget can go up or down but there is one thing that you can not adjust, it is the space in your house. Make sure to take measurements of the place where you are planning to keep your Christmas tree.
4. Shop Early
Make sure that you shop for your Christmas tree as early as possible because all the good trees are gone at the beginning of the festive season. If you wait for the end moment, then you will find that all the good trees are gone while the rejected ones are left behind.
5. Check for Brown Patches
When you are going through the trees, make sure to pick from the lot placed in a shady space. Run your fingers through the tree to ensure no leaves are falling. Drop the tree a few inches from the ground to check how many leaves fall from the tree. The fewer leaves falling off the better.
How Long Do Christmas Trees Last?
If you give proper care to your Christmas tree, then it can last up to five weeks or even more if you are lucky enough to get the best one.
When Should I Decorate my Christmas Tree?
You should buy your tree in the first week of December and then take your sweet time to decorate it. As mentioned earlier, with proper care it can survive up to 5 weeks, so according to that, you will be able to keep it fresh by 25th December.
How to Keep the Christmas Tree Fresh?
If you are not sure how you can keep your Christmas tree fresh, then here are the ways you need to follow in order to keep your Christmas tree fresh:
1. Start with a Healthy Tree
Start with buying a healthy and fresh tree from a local farm and look for your tree kept in a shady area and not sunny. Run your hands through a tree with the least brown patches and see if the leaves are falling off. If you can, then raise your tree and drop it on the ground to check if very few green leaves are falling off.
2. Fresh Cut Fresh Tree
Make sure that you or the seller makes an inch of fresh cut before you are putting your tree upright. Just in case you are not going to put it right away, put it in a bucket of water and store it in a place where there is no extreme temperature or wind. Put an inch of fresh cut to remove any potential dried ends before putting your tree upright.
3. Plenty of Fresh Water
When your tree is enhancing the aesthetics of your house, make sure to keep it hydrated so it can stay greener for the longest time. It is advised to keep the bottom two inches of the trunk in water for ideal watering of the tree. A dried-out tree is not only a harm to the aesthetics but to your life too. It takes about 30 seconds for a dry Christmas tree to burn out completely.
4. Put it Away from the Heat
A Christmas tree put right beside a fireplace is the picture that gets the most likes on Instagram but there is a downside to it too. Excessive heat can fasten the drying process of your tree so it is advisable that you do not do it just for the aesthetics. Along with this, there is a high chance of your tree catching fire if placed close to the fireplace.
5. Take it Down before Drying
As I mentioned quite a few times, a dried-out tree can catch fire easily and burn down within 30 seconds encircling the surrounding area. So, to avoid any potential accidents, it is always a good idea to take your tree down before it gets a chance to dry out completely.
Conclusion
In this article, we learnt some great facts about Christmas trees which will blow your mind off. Also, some of these facts will give you insights to bring the right Christmas tree to your house in the right way possible.
Please share this article with people who want to celebrate Christmas in India just like the tradition requires.
Also Read:
Christmas Gift Ideas to Put a Smile on Your Loved One’s Faces
