Santa Claus may need a bigger sleigh if he hopes to deliver this year to the growing number of American families buying real Christmas trees via the Internet or by mail order.
An estimated 330,000 people make their tree selections after gazing at computer screens or paging through catalogs, the National Christmas Tree Association said.
| Online nearby
The Snohomish Rotary Club offers an online Christmas tree farm at www.snohomishrotary.org. Shop for a tree online using a credit card. The tree can be picked up Dec. 6 at First Presbyterian Church, 1306 Lake View Ave., Snohomish. Or it can be delivered to your home for an extra fee. For more information, call 360-568-5629. 5 |
That’s barely a blip on the holiday radar when compared with the 27.1 million real Christmas trees sold last year at chain stores, through nonprofit groups, from retail lots, harvested for a price from choose-and-cut farms or by permit from public lands. But mail order numbers are becoming statistically significant, said Rick Dungey, a spokesman for the association in Chesterfield, Mo. “Better transportation and a more mobile population are seeing trees go to areas where they haven’t gone before,” Dungey said. “Convenience is a big factor, too.”
Mail order trees usually arrive two or three days after being cut, cleaned and boxed. They haven’t been car-topped down a highway at 70 mph or left piled in a dark corner for days so they have some real staying power – as in not shedding needles or turning brown before it’s time to take the ornaments down.
Price is comparable to what you’d find on a regular retail lot, said Hal Gimlin, who owns and operates Omni Farm at West Jefferson, N.C.
“What you pay for is the shipping,” said Gimlin, who sends Fraser fir Christmas trees from his farm high in the Blue Ridge Mountains to customers as far away as Alaska.
No matter how or where you get your cut Christmas tree, here are some hints for keeping it fresh and relatively fire safe through the season:
As soon as you get it home, “refresh” the tree by sawing an inch or two off the base and then standing it upright in water. That removes any resinous buildup and allows the tree to take in more moisture. Keep adding water until it stops absorbing it. Trees are capable of soaking up several gallons of water per day, especially when they’re new to the house and to warm indoor temperatures.
Place the tree in a stand that holds at least a gallon of pure tap water. Check the water level at least once a day to ensure the butt is submerged, otherwise you may be forced to make another cut to keep it from drying. Trees remain relatively fire-resistant as long as they’re able to retain moisture.
Use UL-approved lights and nonflammable decorations. Miniature lights are a good idea because they generate less heat, resulting in less drying.
Never go to bed or leave home for any period of time with the tree lights left on.
Living Christmas trees are becoming more popular each year, but they come with cautions attached. Weight and bulk can be a large problem. A six-foot tree with roots that are balled and burlapped can weigh as much as 250 pounds, the National Christmas Tree Association said.
The root ball should be kept damp and a live tree never should be moved directly from a warm house into sub-freezing temperatures. Harden it as you would your plants in springtime by moving it first into a sheltered area for several days.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
