The Beauty of a Real Christmas Tree.

Why should I choose a REAL Christmas tree?
There is nothing like a natural Christmas tree to enjoy at Christmas time. The look, the scent and the very feel of a REAL tree are integral parts of the warm, homey atmosphere of our most festive season. Choosing the perfect tree is a cherished tradition in many families. Whether you visit a retail lot or join the tens of thousands who treasure their annual visit to a choose-and-cut farm, you will enjoy knowing that your natural Christmas tree is great for the environment and provides employment for thousands of Canadians!

Am I harming the forest by choosing a real tree?
Definitely not! Christmas trees do not come from the forest! Almost everywhere in North America and for sure in Ontario, Christmas trees are grown as a crop on tree farms. For every tree harvested, there are ten more coming along, otherwise the farmer could not harvest each year.

Is tree farming harmful to our environment?
NO! Christmas trees are, except for cultivated forests, the most environmentally friendly crop around. This is because a tree is harvested only after ten years. To ensure future harvests, ninety percent of the farm must remain in trees all the time.

How are real Christmas trees beneficial to our environment?
CO2 is taken out of the atmosphere, counteracting the human use of fossil fuels. Trees also act as air pollution filters and can remove up to 13 tons of airborne pollutants per acre per year. Christmas tree farms are havens for a wide variety of bird and mammal species including grosbeaks, sparrows, chickadees, foxes, coyotes, mice, voles, and squirrels. The "edge effect" created by a stand of Christmas trees next to a woodlot or an open field is known to increase wildlife species diversity.

Will my Christmas tree cause problems at the landfill site after Christmas?
No. Most municipalities collect discarded natural Christmas trees and chip them for use as mulching materials. Real Christmas trees are completely biodegradable and will, on their own, break down and return their stored nutrients to the soil from which they came. There are also other ways in which REAL Christmas trees go right on giving long after the Christmas season is over. They can be used as bird feeders, wood products can be made from their stems or they can be used as wildlife cover in fish ponds and woodlots alike.

Where does the tradition of evergreens at Christmas originate?
Legends tell of the decorated tree used in winter celebrations long before the advent of Christianity. Plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people during winter. Just as people today decorate their homes at Christmas with pine, spruce and fir trees, ancient people hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries people believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. Egyptians brought green palm branches into their homes in late December as a symbol of growing things. Romans trimmed evergreen trees with trinkets and topped them with an image of their sun god to celebrate Saturnalia. Druid sorcerers hung golden apples and lit candles on oak trees to celebrate the winter solstice. In the middle ages, the feast of Adam and Eve was held on December 24. Its symbol was the Paradise Tree, a fir tree hung with red apples. It is generally agreed, however, that the use of an evergreen tree as part of the Christian Christmas celebration started 400 years ago in Germany and spread to most of northern Europe by the l9th century. Canada was first introduced to the Christmas tree in 1781 in Sorel, Quebec, by a German immigrant, Baron Friederick von Riedesel. The Baron's tree was a balsam fir cut from the dense forest of Quebec and was decorated with myriads of white candles. The Christmas tradition that is celebrated in Canada today has borrowed many customs from many lands, but families who have come from all over the world have all adopted the Christmas tree as the symbol and centerpiece of the festive season. As it has for centuries, the evergreen still symbolizes our belief in renewed life and the hope and faith that lives in all mankind, regardless of race or creed.

Environmentally friendly recycling ideas:
• Placed in the garden or backyard, the Christmas tree will provide winter shelter for small birds. Another good idea is to decorate the tree again. This time hang it with special treats for the birds: Orange slices will attract birds, as will peanut butter spread on tree seed cones; or hang suet balls stuffed with sunflower seeds. If you set your tree outside for the birds, remember to careully remove all tinsel. Birds will try to eat the shiny stuff and it will make them sick.
• A Christmas tree is biodegradable. Its branches and needles make a good mulch in the garden, especially for plants like rhododendrons which like an acid soil. Many cities and municipalities gather Christmas trees on special collection days and put them through shredders which chop them up into small pieces. The resulting mulch is then used in the summer on the flower beds in city parks.
• Fir tree foliage can be stripped from the branches and snipped into small pieces for stuffing into aromatic fir needle pillows for the sofa or bedroom. Some people also use fir foliage in dresser drawers to give clothing and blankets a fragrant aroma.
• Large quantities of used trees make effective sand and soil erosion barriers, especially at beaches.
• Old Christmas trees stacked together in a forest provide shelter for rabbits and other small animals.
• Sunk into fish ponds, Christmas trees make excellent refuge and feeding areas.
• Woodworking hobbyists can make a multitude of items from the trunk of a used Christmas tree including buttons, gavels and candleholder.

Christmas trees are valuable for people and animals:
Their basic production characteristics make Christmas trees an extremely friendly farm crop, both to our environment and to people and animals. A broad network of roots holds the soil and a continuous ground cover prevents surface erosion by water and wind. As a long term crop, trees allow a natural buildup of bird and animal populations. Tree farms provide stable refuge and feeding areas for wildlife, often very near large urban centres, at no cost to the taxpayer. Some farms allow visits at different times of the year. Their accessibility and the quiet, park like surroundings make these farms very pleasing to people. Like all plants, the conifers growing for eventual harvest as Christmas trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow and produce oxygen as a byproduct. One acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people. Without this process of photosynthesis, life could not exist on earth.

How To Select A Christmas Tree:
A few simple procedures can make the selection of a fresh, real Christmas tree easier:

1. Determine where in your home you will display your tree. With this in mind, you will be able to tell how tall a tree you will need and whether all four sides must be suitable for display.

2. Freshness is an important key when selecting your tree. The needles should be resilient. Take hold of a branch about six inches from the tip, between thumb and forefinger. Pull your hand toward you allowing the branch to slip through your fingers. Needles should adhere to the branch and not fall off in your hand.

3. Bend a needle between your forefinger and thumb. The needle should form a "U" without breaking unless the tree is frozen.

4. Lift the tree a couple of inches off the ground, then bring it down abruptly on the stump end. Older outside needles should not fall in substantial numbers. (Inside needles shed naturally every year).

5. The tree should have a fragrance and a good green colour.

6. A fresh tree will retain its moisture content and thereby keep its fragrance and needles if kept in a stand that has good water-holding capacity.


How To Care For Your Christmas Tree:
Remember, a Christmas tree is a living thing, look after it as carefully as you would a cut flower. Once you select a Christmas tree, follow these suggestions to keep it fresh and safe:

1. If you buy your tree several days before you plan to set it up, store the tree outdoors or on a cool porch or patio until you are ready to decorate. An area that provides protection from the wind and sun will help the tree retain its moisture.

2. If you plan to store the tree for several days, make a straight cut across the butt end of the tree about one inch from the end. This opens the tree stem so it can take up water. Store the tree upright and place the butt end in a container of water.

3. When you bring the tree into the house for decorating, make another fresh cut across the trunk about an inch from the original cut. Use a tree stand that holds plenty of water.

4. Trees are thirsty. They may drink up to four litres of water per day, so be sure to check daily and supply fresh water as needed. A stand which holds at least four litres of water is recommended. If you allow the water level to drop below the bottom of the tree, a seal will form just as it does on a cut flower, and a new cut will be necessary.

5. Place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators, television sets and other sources of heat. Turn off the tree lights when you leave and before you retire at night.

6. Avoid the use of combustible decorations. Check all electric lights and connections. Do not use lights with worn or frayed cords and N-E-V-E-R use lighted candles on a Christmas tree.

Following these care and precaution measures should ensure an attractive tree that stays fresh indoors for two to three weeks. Please also refer to the section on holiday safety tips.

Happy Holidays!

© 2010 - CTFO Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario