Pining for Christmas
Will your tree last the distance if you buy too early?
They are starting to celebrate early. They just can’t wait. It’s good that people are smiling again. Ivan Sokolich
After a tough year, hundreds of Aucklanders are in the seasonal spirit early with Christmas trees flying out the door a month sooner than usual — meaning many will be buying two trees this year.
Manager of Mt Eden’s Misa Christmas Tree Farm Ivan Sokolich said the rush on Christmas trees began at the beginning of November with at least 500 sold during the month.
“It is unusual to sell them that early,” he said.
Sokolich said they warned customers the trees would not last that long but buyers were not dissuaded saying they would simply buy a replacement closer to Christmas.
“Everyone’s been complaining it’s been a tough year with the Covid so they are starting to celebrate early. They just can’t wait,” he said. “It’s good that people are smiling again.”
Despite early sales, he said there were still plenty of trees and they would be selling them right up until Christmas day. Trees bought now would last until Christmas, he said.
Trees ranged in price from $40 for a small one suitable for an apartment to $1100 for a 5m tree.
Sokolich said the Balmoral Rd business had been in the family for three generations and first opened its doors in 1940.
Since then they had perfected the art of keeping a Christmas tree alive for as long as possible.
He said the first thing to do was trim about 1cm off the bottom of the trunk to get rid of any layers of congealed sap that dried out on the trip home.
Sokolich said it was also important to keep trees out of direct sunlight and keep the trunk wet.
Christmas trees absorbed a lot of water, particularly in the first 48 hours. Letting the water run dry also allowed sap to leak and dry out, sealing the base of the tree, meaning it could no longer absorb water.
It was also important to keep the tree out of the direct line of ventilation from an air conditioning unit.
As for the rumours that aspirin, lemonade, sugar or Janola in the water helped, Sokolich said trials showed they made no difference.