•Real Christmas trees are an all-American product, grown in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Most artificial trees are manufactured in Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong.
•Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and metals.
•For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place.
•There are about 1 million acres in production for growing Christmas trees. Each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
•There are about 15,000 Christmas tree growers in the U.S., and over 100,000 people employed full or part time in the industry.
•There are approximately 5,000 choose and cut farms in the U.S.
•It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height (6 feet), but the average growing time in 7 years.
•The top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, California, and North Carolina.
•The top selling Christmas trees are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraiser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine, and white pine.
This year over 37 million American families will celebrate the holidays with the fragrance and beauty of a real Christmas tree.
The tree, used as a symbol of life, is a tradition older than Christianity and not exclusive to any one religion. It's a part of our holiday customs that engages not only our senses of sight, touch, and smell, but also our sense of tradition, hope and good will.
Long before there was a Christmas, Egyptians brought green palm branches into their homes on the shortest day of the year in December as a symbol of life's triumph over death.
Romans adorned their homes with evergreens during Saturnalia, a winter festival in honor of Saturnus, their god of agriculture. Druid priests decorated oak trees with golden apples for their winter solstice festivities.
In the middle ages, the Paradise tree, an evergreen hung with red apples, was the symbol of the feast of Adam and Eve held on December 24th.
The first recorded reference to the Christmas tree dates back to the 16th century. In Strasbourg, Germany (now part of France), families both rich and poor decorated fir trees with colored paper, fruits and sweets. The retail Christmas tree lot also dates back that far - in those times, older women would sell trees harvested from nearby forests.
The tradition spread through Europe and was brought to the United States by German settlers and by Hessian mercenaries paid to fight in the Revolutionary War. In 1804 U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) hauled trees from surrounding woods to their barracks at Christmas.
The popularity of the Christmas tree then proliferated. Charles Minnegrode introduced the custom of decorating trees in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842. In 1851, Mark Carr hauled two ox sleds loaded with trees from the Catskills to the streets of New York and opened the first retail lot in the United States.
Franklin Pierce, our 14th President, brought the Christmas tree tradition to the White House. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony now held every year on the White House lawn.
Since 1966, members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented a beautiful, fresh Christmas tree to the President and first family. This tree is displayed each year in the Blue Room of the White House.
To guarantee freshness, you can buy a "live" tree, which comes with its roots in a dirt ball and can be planted in the ground come spring, or you can cut one yourself at a Christmas tree farm.
Most of us buy a tree that has already been cut.
Which variety will hold up best?
Scotch Pine
Mostly grown in the North central region, this dark-green pine is admired for its classic Christmas-tree looks and is the most popular variety sold.
Advantages:
Can hold on to its needles for more than four weeks even when shipped a long distance. Stiff branches make it great for hanging heavy ornaments.
Though not as fragrant as fir trees, keeps its aroma throughout the holiday season.
Balsam Fir
Native to the Northeast region and much of Canada, this fir has olive-green needles with white underside that give it a silvery cast.
Advantages:
Can hold on to its needles for about three weeks.
Keeps its pleasant fragrance throughout the holiday season.
Drawback:
Unless it's grown in your area, choose another tree; long-distance shipping may cause needles to fall off when tree is placed in a warm room.
Douglas-Fir
Native to West Coast regions, from Canada to Mexico, this popular fir has long, deep-green needles with a slightly bluish cast.
Advantages:
Can hold on to its needles for up to three weeks.
Keeps its potent fragrance throughout the season.
Drawback:
If shipped from the West Coast to a much colder climate, needles may freeze, then fall off when placed in a warm room. A good buy if you live in a moderate climate or the tree was grown nearby.
Eastern White Pine
Grows in the northern United States to northeastern Ohio, then southward along the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia. It's one of the fullest trees, thanks to long, soft needles and dense branches.
Advantage:
Can hold on to its needles for about three to four weeks.
Drawbacks:
Dries out faster than short-needle pine trees.
Though not as fragrant as firs, keeps its aroma throughout the season.
Fraser Fir
Native to the Appalachian Mountain regions of North Carolina and Tennessee, this dark-green tree with silver under-tones is gaining in popularity:
It was the White House Christmas tree one year.
Advantages:
Can hold on to its needles for more than a month --
longer than any fir.
Won't lose its pleasant fragrance.
Strong branches make it ideal for hanging heavy ornaments.
Doesn't suffer from being shipped long distances.
Testing for freshness
1. Bend some branches and needles. Most types of Christmas trees should be pliable and
spring back instead of breaking.
2. Grasp a branch and pull your hand toward
the tip. If lots of needles fall off as the branch
slips through your fingers, the tree is too dry.
3. Hold the tree upright, then pound its trunk
on the ground a few times. If lots of green
needles fall out, the tree is dry.
Keeping it fresh:
When you get your tree home, saw about a half inch off the trunk, put the tree in its stand, and add water right away. A tree's sap quickly seals its cuts and prevents water from being absorbed. If you're not ready to decorate, set the freshly cut tree in a container of water in an unheated place, such as a garage. Check the water level frequently; trees can take in more than two quarts each day. If the tree is out of water for even a few hours, cut another half-inch from the trunk.
The Best Tree Stands
Choose one that can hold at least a half a gallon of water for a six foot tree and more than a gallon for larger trees . The heavier the stand and the larger its circumference, the sturdier it is and the less likely your tree will tip over. To securely grip the tree, the stand should have at least three bolts preferably four that screw into the trunk. They should be wide and sturdy with padded ends to provide a better grip on the tree.
