Comments on: The Christmas Tree Crib Sheet: How To Pick, Set up, and Care For Your Tree

By: Arkanabar T'verrick Ilarsadin

Arkanabar T'verrick Ilarsadin — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:04:11 +0000

Julian, our tradition was to put the tree up on Gaudete Sunday (2d to last before Christmas), and take it down on Epiphany. After removing all the decorations, we'd burn it in the fireplace, using pruning loppers to remove all the branches before cutting up the trunk. Our tree was usually a blue spruce, always purchased at Eastern Market.

By: Julian

Julian — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:53:22 +0000

Nota Bene::
Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth, but I do understand it is a universal celebration that transcends religious boundaries. Although Christmas trees and others decorative items have been added on over the years through various cultures (Germany for the Christmas tree), the timing of them is important. For Catholics the traditional time to put up the Christmas tree is the afternoon of Christmas Eve, since the time before that is Advent, in waiting for Christmas (same as Lent is for Easter). The twelve days of Christmas begins on December 25th and continues till January 6th, which is the Epiphany (the visit of the Three Kings).

The commercialization of Christmas has spread the idea of celebrating Christmas earlier and earlier (right after Thanksgiving now) in order to get the masses into the holiday spirit i.e shopping. Instead, Advent should be given due consideration, and celebrated in its own right, with things such as Advent wreaths and candles, etc. But of course, this is for those that take their faith seriously.

Even if circumstances make it necessary to put up the Christmas tree earlier in Advent, we can still maintain some sense of the Advent season by not lighting the lights until Christmas Eve, or by putting out our most precious decorations (and perhaps the star for the top of the tree) only on Christmas Eve. Such practices increase the sense of expectation, especially among young children, and make Christmas Day all the more joyful.

Just spreading knowledge of Orthodoxy, but understand that Orthopraxy is the difficult part.

By: E. Robert Marquardt

E. Robert Marquardt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:58:37 +0000

Tired of those flimsy tree stands that don’t hold enough water for your dog, let alone a tree? The best tree stand is a galvanized bucket or pail. Remove the handle and drill 4 small holes equally spaced around the rim. Attach the end of 4 lengths (3 foot) of bailing wire to the rim in the holes you drilled. Cut a piece of scrap 1/2in thick plywood or board to fit inside the bottom of the bucket. To mount the tree in the bucket, cut off the bottom inch of the tree (make sure it is square) and nail the piece of wood to the bottom (one nail will do). Stand the tree in the bucket, trimming off any low branches that interfere with the bucket. Making sure the tree is standing straight in the bucket, attach the 4 wires to the trunk of the tree, as far up the trunk as possibleand pulled tight, to secure the tree to the bucket. You should be able to lift the tree and the bucket will be securely attached. Carry the tree into the house and place it in the room on a piece of plywood or heavy cardboard so the pail does not mar the carpet/flooring. (Mom used to place a white sheet on top to cover the wood under the pail) Fill the bucket with broken pieces of bricks or concrete blocks and fill the bucket with water. The first day you will have to add water a number of times because the bricks will absorb the water initially. Add water daily to ensure the tree does not dry out so fast.
For an added measure of security if you have pets climbing in the tree or kids pulling the tree over, secure the tree with wire to nails in the baseboard, or at the top to the wall/ceiling. Decorate the pail by wrapping it with foil or mylar wrapping paper (waterproof), or you can decorate it by painting, etc.

When it is time to remove the tree, take out the bricks (helps to have another bucket to put them in, they will drip water.), remove the wires securing to the wall and carefully remove the tree, being carefull not to spill the remaining water. (I usually cut the tree in half so I can easily carry the bottom half with the bucket/water out without spilling.) unfasten the wires from the tree and remove the bucket and store for next year.

Works like charm, and not as hard as it sounds.

By: Ola

Ola — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:56:35 +0000

Though this may be considered cheating, putting a hook or nail in the ceiling and fastening the top of the tree to it with fishing line or similar may help you not only keep the tree straight when fastening it, if you leave it there, it will also prevent pets and kids from tipping it.

The real hurdle though, is to get the lights in, distributed evenly.

…and yeah, I want a vintage aluminium tree too, and a color wheel for it.

By: Feli Galker

Feli Galker — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:47:14 +0000

It’s a dying planet – every tree cut off is a dead lung.
A real man plants a new tree for every other tree he cuts down. Or pays for cutting down.
Urban men can donate to the JNF
(http://www.jnf.co.uk/campaigns/tree-certificates )
or any other forestation association for the wellbeing of our planet Earth.
Happy Holidays.

By: Adam

Adam — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:31:47 +0000

Do not use a reciprocating saw with a blade designed to cut metal to cut the end of your tree off.

Use a bow saw. If you do not have a bow saw, buy one. You will feel manly and will not look like a dunce trying to chip away at a 5 inch trunk with a screwdriver and hammer.

By: Terri

Terri — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:59:40 +0000

In this area at least, you can go to the tree farm and tag your tree early in the season, and come to cut it down when you are ready to put it up. This works very well for us, since our family tradition is to not put the tree up until the day before Christmas Eve. We do adapt a little to work around winter storms.

I have also gone the Forest Service route, and it is a great adventure. But the really manly part of any tree expedition is all the macrame involved. You should do an article on the manly art of securing cargo with rope, and the art of guying the tree to the woodwork with fishing line so it doesn’t fall over.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:40:35 +0000

Four words for you gentlemen: “Vintage Aluminum Christmas Tree”

I’ve got one and I put it outside my den every year. Sure, I wouldn’t make it the main tree in family room, but it’s tough to beat the two score and five ersatz retro arbor wonder for sheer coolness.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:23:40 +0000

I love our artificial tree. It’s a high-quality one passed down from my wife’s parents, and is at least twenty years old. Yes, it looks a little fake, but does a passable job as a fir tree that we only use for a couple of weeks a year. In the end, after it’s been decorated, it’s a Christmas tree that evokes just as much joy as a real one.

Even if your tree comes from a tree farm, how much water (and nutrients, and pesticide) is being wasted to grow these temporary trees? I find that pretty wasteful, myself.

By: Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:47:26 +0000

“Never, ever, buy a plastic tree. This is the cardinal rule of Christmas trees. It’s non-negotiable. ”

I’ve an artificial tree I’ve used for almost 30 years. It’s tough getting a real tree when you are stationed places like Saudi Arabia or Korea or the Philippines. It’s even tougher trying to explain to small children that Santa will come even if they don’t have a Christmas tree.
While I’d prefer a live tree, growing year after year as my children grow, an artificial tree has given them a sense of familiarity in a constantly changing environment. There is indeed a place for artificial trees.