How to Choose a Christmas Tree
Christmas is approaching and pictures of decorated homes with beautiful Christmas trees in the corner of the living room are already visible on social media. Today, however, the traditional spruce is no longer the only choice for Estonians, and that's why we can say that we're actually choosing Christmas trees.
Real Christmas tree or artificial tree?
An artificial tree is suitable for those who don't want spruce needles on their carpet and don't want to deal with a dried tree falling apart. An artificial tree is also for those who disapprove of cutting down living trees just to enjoy them for only a few days. If you belong to that group of people, an artificial tree is a good choice. Artificial trees come in all varieties, some look very authentic – the only thing missing is the pine scent – and some Christmas trees have been designed with deliberate excess. We've visited homes, for example, where a bright pink artificial tree with fake frost stood in the corner.
The only downside of an artificial tree is that it has to spend most of the year in storage, and if you've already decided on a pink tree, you should enjoy it for several years. If you buy a new artificial tree every year, it's much worse for the environment than bringing a real tree into your home.
However, for many people, the pine scent and dealing with a real tree is something without which Christmas isn't really Christmas at all.
How big a tree do you need?
Measure how large a tree would fit in your home, because trees seem smaller at sales lots or in the forest than they actually are, and at home it may turn out that you have to saw off branches or even the top.
Bring a tree from the forest yourself
For those who respect traditions, RMK has offered a wonderful opportunity to bring a tree from the forest yourself. Just like in the old days, except you can pay with your mobile phone. In short, here's how it works: first, select a nearby RMK forest from the map, then go into the forest and choose a tree. Pay according to the tree's height and only then can you saw down the tree. You can also pay beforehand at home, more information is here. Tree prices are affordable: you can get a tree under one meter for 3 euros and a tree up to 2 meters costs 8 euros.
You can cut trees that are located under larger trees or power lines, i.e., trees that have no hope of growing large.
When bringing it home, you should keep the tree somewhere cool for about a day, not carry it directly into the house, because otherwise the tree tends to shed its needles in fright.
Which tree is the most beautiful?
Of course this is a matter of taste and some people bring a tree from the forest that is crooked and bare on one side so they don't have to cut down a vigorous tree after just a couple of happy days. Those who want a perfect tree are advised by Forest Union people to choose a tree whose crown is slightly wider than half the tree's height, because such a tree has strong enough branches.
Trees sold at sales lots are generally denser and more beautiful than forest trees because they have been specially trimmed and carefully shaped for that purpose.
Once you've chosen your tree, shake it a bit – if too many needles fall, the tree won't last long with you. Choose another one.
Don't let the tree dry out
The tree needs to be watered carefully, especially in the first few days, so that it lasts and doesn't start drying out immediately. To do this, you need to saw off a small piece from the tree base, then the tree can absorb water without obstruction, because after standing at the sales lot or being brought from the forest, the cut has had time to be covered with resin and water cannot circulate.
It's easy to let the tree dry out in the first few days, because that's when it has the greatest water need. Check the water level several times a day initially.
It's also important to know that the tree trunk should not be cut to a sharp point, because the tree drinks through the bark and the correct water uptake point can dry out.
Spruce lasts a long time
If you want a real tree in your home and want to enjoy it for a long time, choose a spruce for decorating your room. It doesn't shed needles as easily and stays beautiful for a long time. Spruce needles are slightly softer, they are more rounded at the ends, and the tree itself has a slightly darker green color than fir.
If you've decided on a spruce, take a bit more money with you when you go to the sales lot – their prices are a bit higher than firs.
It's also important to know about spruce that it obviously doesn't have the pine scent.
Spruce and fir are not the only options
Who said the tree has to be a fir or even look like one? You can just as well bring a potted plant into the room, such as a cypress or false cypress, which lasts a long time and to which you can also hang ornaments. If you take good care of a cypress, it can last the whole year. The main thing is not to let it dry out. Cypresses don't tolerate dry air and therefore should be sprayed with water every day.
Finally, we suggest one more great Christmas tree idea. Instead of evergreen trees or an artificial tree, you can also place branches of a bare tree in a large vase and hang ornaments on them. No dealing with needles, but you still get the Christmas joy.
Image Reference: https://festoonhouse.com.au/
