Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
O, Christmas Tree! A nine-foot Frasier fir entered my parlor on the first day of December. This might seem a tad early to you, but frankly, I can’t justify such an expensive, temporary decorative item unless it gives me at least one full month of pleasure. Here are my thoughts on treating, lighting and decorating this venerable holiday-symbol:
Treating. To keep a tree fresh through the holidays, first spray its branches with an anti-dessicant, such as Wilt-Pruf. I spray mine before it comes indoors. Next, saw off at least one inch from the tree’s base, if the tree seller didn’t already do this for you. Thirdly, set the tree in a stand with a good-sized basin, and fill the reservoire with at least a half-gallon of water. As evaporation occurs — and this will be daily — top with more water. Finally, turn off nearby radiators. Even a tree that has been sprayed with anti-dessicant can’t be expected to hold onto its needles in a room that is hot and dry.
Lighting. I asked Herminio Ramirez, whom you’ve met before, to arrange the lights on my tree this year. You might like to copy his rather unusual, two-step system for tree-lighting. First, he drapes the lights vertically, starting at the top of the tree, as illustrated above. Then more lights are arranged horizontally. As you can imagine, this strategy produces the grandest illumination.
I use clear lights, although I’m not opposed to the multi-colored sorts. And I never use twinkling lights. The rhythmic blink gives me a headache. You might have a different opinion.
Decoration. As for decoration, I love the sober look of a tree that features all blue, all gold, or all silver balls, providing that tree is in the lobby of a hotel. Otherwise, I say go all out with ornaments. There are no rules. Use whatever you’ve collected over the years, including the ornaments you or your children were forced to make in elementary school. In the 1960s, I made such a bauble in the first grade. It was a little snowman, crafted from marshmallows, with green sequins for eyes and a cone of red construction paper for a hat. My mother kept this relic until 2006, and then foolishly sent it to me. How I would love to show you what 40-year-old marshmallows look like! Unfortunately, the little snowman crashed to the floor last December, and was promptly eaten by Lily, the wonder-beagle we wonder about. She wiped out 4 decades of history in a single gulp.
I’d love to hear about your own, special tree (even if it’s an artificial one), and its ornaments and lights. Do you prefer blinking lights, or those which give a steady effect?
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Eric says
I don't mind blinking lights! They always remind me of Snoopy's dog-house decorations on the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
Carol says
I haven't bought my tree yet, but I think I'll get a frasier fir like yours. It seems to have a nice pyramidal shape. Do frasiers have a balsam fragrance?
Justin says
Great lighting tips. I usually wrap the lights horizontally — never thought to make vertical strands as well. I'm going to buy my tree and extra lights this weekend.
Samantha says
Too bad about your little snowman! What a cute story!!!
I made things like this in school, too, but I don't think my parents kept any of them.
Erika says
I can't stand blinking lights! Too Vegas for me! I always use plain, unblinking lights for my Christmas tree, and I decorate it to the nines. I have lots of ornaments that have been passed down from my grandparents to my parents and now to me. Love them all.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Carol – the Frasier does have a balsam scent. If my botany is correct, Balsam and Frasier firs are related.
Justin – do try the horizontal and vertical arrangement with lights. It makes all the difference!
Samantha – glad you liked the story. And a note to all parents: if you can't keep your child's ornaments (and who can blame you) at least photograph them!
Erika – I love trees that are decorated “to the nines!”
Victoria says
Since I inherited my parents’ house, I have continued to use their Christmas tree, a flocked artificial one with thick branches they bought years ago at a major international design center where we live. It’s a tabletop tree, but the diameter of the base is exactly the measurement of our square living room coffee table and that’s where it gets put. With gifts underneath the tree (literally, under the table) and all around, the result is an optical illusion where it looks like a 7.5-ft. tree. Most of the ornaments are ones I made in high school half a century ago, when our city had an enormous warehouse-sized business where I would buy beautiful ornament kits that were just like the ones you can get today from The Cracker Box. I fill in with berries and birds, and the tree is topped with a Clothtique-style angel my parents found in a shop window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan when I was a child. I have two sets of lights – some years I use all clear/warm and others I use the intense primary colors that our tree had when I was growing up. I’m not one for pastels or blinking lights. It’s too bad I can’t post a photo to show what miracles one can work with a simple ‘small’ tabletop tree.