Holiday Senses: Setting Your Sights on a Christmas Tree
I am a visual person. I like to think that the reason my eyeglass prescription is so strong, is because I REALLY put my eyes to work visually eating up as much of our big world as I possibly can. We all know that the best time of year to really soak it all in is during the holiday season.
There are twinkling lights strewn on eaves, decorations gleaming across lawns and Nativity scenes aglow with a warmth that can only come from our hearts. And as we drive through the cold dark night, this allows us to enjoy the spirit that comes with the season. I know for me, this makes the dreary drive home from work much brighter each day.
These are the things we can see outside of our homes, and while they make the time change a little more tolerable, it’s the warm glow of the season radiating from inside of our homes that really makes it special. The Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is always the focal point that always catches our eye.
Picking out the Christmas tree is one of my favorite things to do, so much so, that I think I pritnear have Justin convinced to own a tree farm someday. It’s like a treasure hunt, where the prize you’re searching for, the perfect tree, is just waiting for you. But it can be overwhelming, let’s face it. So what should you look for?
Look for a real tree:
While I understand the ease that comes with a fake tree, and I’ve owned them too, there’s just something about getting a real tree. There’s something about romping through fields of trees, looking them all over, smelling their branches, touching their needles and making sure you can envision it being your perfect Christmas tree. Sure, you have to water it often, but think about the bigger picture. You’re supporting small business and, in turn, you’re helping your community. What a great concept! ’Tis the season, after all.
Know your space:
Think about where you are putting your tree. Know your space. It may be a little over the top, but it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a few measurements. How tall should your tree be? How wide is your designated space? Don’t be like me. I get out there in the fresh air, with the beautiful trees and the glorious smells and the next thing I know, I’m overcome with the beauty of it all and have a tree that requires me to rearrange furniture and shorten the entire backside of the tree so I can smoosh it against the wall (this may be a what I was doing a few weeks ago!)
Think of your loved ones:
This year we have kittens in the house. So we had to put some extra thought into what kind of tree we were going to get. Do some research (You’re on your smartphone for hours a day anyway). Take a few minutes to check out the best trees for your situation. I know citrus smells deter cats, so I specifically looked for a tree that has that incredible citrus smell.
If you have babies or fur babies, you could look for a tree where the branches start a bit higher up on the trunk. We trim a few branches at the bottom off before we set up our tree. This year, to prevent kitties from scaling up the trunk, we used a tree collar instead of a tree skirt. It prevents them from getting directly under the tree and also nixes the chances of them drinking the water, which can be dangerous.
Think of your flooring:
Always put some form of floor protection down before you put your tree up. The last thing you want to set your eyes on after the holidays is a giant stain on your carpet or an everlasting water mark on your hardwood. We use a garbage bag or two and use this seriously study tree stand that we found last year. It’s awesome and makes watering the tree a cinch.
Do you see what I see?
The brighter, the better. That’s what I always say. But before you start slinging lights on your tree, you should always check your lights. Do your due diligence and check them well. You don’t want to end up with a sad, half lit field.
Let me share my strategy for putting on lights. I always start at the bottom and on the inside. I wrap my lights up the tree, one branch level at a time and loosely set them amongst the branches nearest to the trunk. I work all the way to the top, using as many strings as it takes for me to reach the top.
Once that’s done, I start from the bottom and work my way back up the tree on the mid and outer sections of the branches. I usually do this in a zig zag pattern so that my lights are evenly placed through the entire tree. The key is to loosely place the lights on the tree. Tightly wrapping lights throughout the tree can make it difficult for you to futz with them later and it can be dangerous to have the extra strain on the wiring.
I was very concerned about the kittens messing with the lights. I read somewhere that vet visits this time of year skyrocket and mainly because of ingestion and electrocution. Justin has had great success spray-bottle training them. Thankfully that has worked well, because they don’t really mess with the tree aside from romping around under the lower branches here and there.
If you have little ones, human or otherwise, it’s a good idea to either start the decorations further up the tree, skip the breakables altogether and keep the potential choking hazards at the top. I went with shatterproof ornaments this year, to save my gorgeous family heirloom antique ornaments.
Soak it all in:
Once the tree is up and donned in lights, ornaments and pure holiday joy, all that’s left is to enjoy it throughout the season. Take the time to really appreciate it. It may seem silly to you, but each year I take the time to thank the tree and God for creating such a beautiful wonder. It started out as a seedling and with love and care, has grown tall, strong and destined to be in our home. Why not express our gratitude?
I get to drink my coffee every morning while admiring it’s branches. I get to watch my niece and other company relish in it’s 1,000 twinkling lights each Christmas eve. And when it’s time for it to go, I make sure it does so with dignity. Each year we donate to the local Lions Club for their Christmas tree pick up program. We get to give to a great organization and then the State Game Commission works together with the Boyscouts to relocate the trees for natural habitats.
If you are kind enough to support your local community by getting a real tree, make sure you help your tree finish strong. You can start by calling around and checking out what programs your community has in place for recycling Christmas trees. And once again, you’ll be able to SEE your tree make a difference!
