Christmas support baubles...
Twinkling trees spread cheer so choose and treat them with care
The tree is one of the most popular traditions at Christmas and one that remains magical. Decoration fads and styles have come and gone – just think back to the dangerous age of real candles or trees drowning in tinsel, minimalist designer chic and even upside-down versions!
But after a challenging year, my guess is that most of us will have no time for trends
– we are just desperate for tradition and authenticity.
So where did the idea of using trees as indoor decorative features come from? The modern tradition of putting up a Christmas tree can be traced back to 16th century Germany, where it is recorded that small fir trees were decorated with apples, nuts, dates and paper flowers. It was a celebration of the Earth’s gifts in the colder months.
In Britain, the traditional Christmas tree is easily traced to the reign of Queen Victoria. An entry in her diary in 1832 talks of her as a 13-yearold girl being enchanted by the sight of two huge trees hung with lights and sugar ornaments. After her marriage to Prince Albert, a cousin from Germany, the custom became much more widespread. Albert was determined to delight his own children with this wonderful tradition, and prints of the Royal Family’s festive celebrations helped popularise the Christmas tree in the UK and across the globe. Now it’s big business. The trend is towards more needleretaining trees, with customers prepared to pay high prices for quality products.
The most popular variety is the Nordmann fir, which has lush, dark green needles and its strong branches are great for displaying ornaments.
The Norway spruce is native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, and is the traditional Christmas tree.
It’s also beautiful if planted outdoors in large gardens and in parks.
To get the most from your tree, stick it in a bucket of water when you bring it home and ideally keep it watered to keep the needles fresh.
Site preferably away from a radiator or underfloor heating as this will dry it out very quickly. Some trees are sold ‘live’, potted with roots and soil, often from nurseries with the suggestion of being planted outdoors after the festivities and enjoyed year after year. It’s a nice idea – but challenging.
The combination of high or fluctuating temperatures and low indoor humidity is detrimental to the tree’s health, so the survival rate of these trees is low. Bringing them indoors at the coldest time of the year for three or four weeks and then abruptly casting them outdoors again leaves them vulnerable.
So I would recommend purchasing a tree from a sustainable source that has been grown for the purpose of Christmas – as long as you ensure that
it is recycled afterwards for mulch or compost.
Can I also suggest you enquire if your local garden centre is selling trees this year. Many have suffered from lockdown and need your support. Or see if a local charity is selling trees – it’s been a tough year for many and a boost at Christmas could make all the difference to an organisation’s survival chances.
Alternatively, check out the British Christmas Tree Growers Association for local sellers near you (bctga.co.uk).
Now it’s time to start untangling last year’s lights!