The Perfect Tree

Real versus artificial is a debate that has been going on at Christmastime for decades. Mom likes the convenience of an artificial tree, but Dad is a traditionalist who wants to take the family into the woods to chop down his own tree and couldn’t dream of Christmas without the smell of fresh pine. 

Which Came First?

We tend to think of the artificial Christmas tree as a modern invention. But the first manmade trees were born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (how ironic) in 1747 before real trees were used at Christmas. They were created by the German Moravian church and took the form of wooden pyramids. Fast forward to 1880 when deforestation had become a concern in Germany, giving rise to the invention of Christmas trees made of goose feathers that were dyed green. Their popularity soon spread to the US and really took off with their inclusion in the 1913 Sears Roebuck catalog. 

Introduced in 1958, the next generation was made of aluminum. Some were attached to rotating stands and lit by a color changing wheel—very modern indeed. They hung around into the 1970s until Charlie Brown degraded them as a symbol of commercialism and their popularity waned. Today, most artificial trees are made of plastic—which is where the debate really begins. 

The 1930s brought us a new type of artificial tree invented by the Addis Housewares Company. This British firm repurposed the same materials and equipment used to make toilet brushes, added a little green dye, and the bottle brush tree was born.

Current Debate

So, which is better for the environment? You might immediately think that the answer has to be a natural tree. After all, trees are a renewable resource and are naturally biodegradable. But there are those among us who panic every time a tree is cut down, worrying about deforestation, the unintended domino effect on other wildlife, emissions caused by transporting trees long distances, and the use of pesticides. The truth is that almost all of the 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees sold each year come from Christmas tree farms. It is estimated that those farms have somewhere between 350 and 500 million trees growing at any given time, so each year’s harvest is less than 10% of what is grown. Not only that, but each harvested tree is replaced with one to three new saplings. It is important, however, to purchase your tree from a farm that practices integrated pest management and to properly recycle your tree after the holidays.

Artificial trees also travel long distances before they get to you, with nearly 90% of the ten million sold each year originating in China. They are made of plastic, PVC to be exact, and are not easily recyclable, especially the ones that are pre-lit. However, the average artificial Christmas tree is used for at least ten years, some even longer. It is estimated that the carbon footprint of an artificial tree breaks even with the real ones after only four to five years. Given their convenience, even Charlie Brown would have to admit they’re not a bad option. Still, there is nothing like the look, feel, and smell of the real thing.

Memories

When I was a little girl, getting the tree was a family event in and of itself, complete with hot chocolate. Although we didn’t cut our own, Mom would scour the rows upon rows of freshly cut trees, discussing the pros and cons of Frasier, Balsam, Douglas, and Concolor firs, Blue versus Norway spruces, and of course the dreaded Scotch pine, until she spotted the perfect tree. The salesperson (at the firehouse where the Christmas tree sale was the annual fundraiser) would give the tree a fresh cut, tie it up with a rope and help Dad to get it on top of the car. When we got home, the tree was immediately put into a bucket of fresh water and usually left outside or put in the garage if a bad storm was predicted. 

The real fun began when it was time to decorate the tree. Dad would bring it in and attempt to place it in the stand. Invariably the trunk was either too wide or not long enough, so when the screws were tightened the tree wobbled. If it was too wide, he could whittle it down to fit, but it wasn’t long enough—what to do, what to do, what to do? If you cut off the bottom branches the tree would ultimately be left with a big hole, and would look a lot smaller. Charlie Brown’s idea of a tree was absolutely not acceptable in our house. 

That’s where my mother’s ingenuity would come in. This woman was creative and undaunted by such small challenges. She would simply have Dad cut off the branch or two needed to make the tree stable. After all, the ornaments back in those days were all made of glass and we couldn’t have an unstable tree, now could we? Then she would wire the branches back onto the tree. Of course those branches would dry out and lose their needles before the rest, but it really didn’t matter. The tree looked perfect—at least for a few weeks. 

This was the same woman who spent countless hours making her own ornaments initially from kits she purchased from a specialty store called the Pink Sleigh. And who also used to completely change the look of her tree every couple years. We had red, red, and green; all gold, gold and green; pink (not one of my favorites), and even all clear glass ornaments. There were years of hanging silver tinsel, gold tinsel garland, and ribbon streamers but never any popcorn.

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Or maybe, we should say the pine cone, in this case. I have not only followed in my mother’s footsteps but have ventured deeply into the realm of mixed media in pursuit of the perfect tree and wreath and garland—you get the idea. 

The pursuit of perfection

Of course, we all know it is a fool’s errand. However, the perfect Christmas tree can be achieved. It doesn’t matter whether you start with a natural tree or one that is manmade. I generally begin by adding more greenery. You can add artificial enhancements to a real tree or wreath, or real foliage to an artificial one. There are no rules here. But, if you are adding manufactured materials to a tree, look for large sprays or picks. Keep it in scale. You can also use garlands. And what you add doesn’t need to be expensive. Vintage stuff from grandma’s attic, garage sale finds, or dollar store bargains work equally well. The goal here is to fill in the gaps and add texture, not necessarily color. 

Fresh greens like boxwood, laurel, and holly are great additions. Leyland branches are one of my favorites because they are so soft and pliable. They aren’t sappy, don’t drop needles,and last for weeks. Not only that, but Leylands grow so fast they will never notice that you borrowed a few branches. Variegated greenery like euonymus can introduce a touch of white, reminiscent of snow, or try adding the leaves of a southern magnolia like Bracken’s Brown Beauty. Junipers are great for adding a blue hue but leave your blue spruce trees alone. They grow very slowly and are quite prickly. Dried greenery like seeded or plain eucalyptus is also an option. Try mixing different shades of green and vary the texture of the needles, but just like in any good landscape design, keep it simple. Choose one or two things and repeat them. 

Next, add some flowers. Think silk—poinsettias, amaryllis, magnolias, hydrangeas, roses—anything you like. Dried flowers like statice or goldenrod are also great choices. Finish it off with some dried fruit slices, berries, or pinecones. Now, add the ornaments. You probably won’t need as many as you used to, which is always a challenge for me. I want to display all the family heirlooms, which is how we end up with two trees in our house.

Things I avoid

As much as I love the look of a flocked tree, I don’t think flocking is worth the time and mess it makes. Even spray snow can turn into a nightmare. A touch of it on the mantle is fine but never on a pre-lit tree. It ends up covering the lights and ruins the tree for next year. Spray paint, however, can be fun to play with on a real tree. Add a touch of white to create the illusion of snow or transform your green tannenbaum into a blue spruce—just make sure you do it before you put the lights on.

Other tricks of the trade

Just like a good painting job, prep work makes all the difference. Don’t be afraid to prune your real tree into shape. Add a little preservative to the water and keep the stand filled. When it’s time to take it down, put a large sheet on the floor around the tree and cut off the branches—it will fit through the door with ease and won’t make a mess. If you’re starting with an artificial one, make sure you fluff the branches every year and don’t forget the scent stick. In either case, be sure to decorate the inside of the tree with lights and ornaments as well as the outer edges. Work with one color and one size at a time to ensure your collection is evenly distributed. 

Have fun! Merry Christmas! See you next year.