The humble Christmas tree is one of the best known symbols of our annual Christmas celebrations, but how much do you know about the origins of the tradition and why fir trees are typically used?
To help boost your knowledge and wow your friends with facts, the good folks at Homebase have put together an infographic on The History of Christmas Trees. The informative and easy-to-read guide is nicely produced with plenty of fab facts about Christmas trees.
Did you know, for example, that (depending on the species and climate) it can take eight to 12 years to grow a real fir 7ft Christmas tree ready to be cut down and used in your home? Or that the tallest living Douglas fir Christmas tree is 91 years old and is currently a massive 122ft tall!
Check out and share the infographic to learn more fab facts about Christmas trees!
Real tree?
There’s something special about choosing a Christmas tree, taking it home and decorating it in your own unique style – not least having the fresh pine scent of a living tree in your home.
Putting up and helping to decorate the tree is something the whole family can get involved in. Do you have a collection of Christmas decorations that come out year after year – maybe sentimental items that you can’t ever bring yourself to throw away, such as items made up your children in the past or decorations passed down the generations? Or do you like to have a set colour theme each year for your tree and room decorations?
Whatever your preference and style, spending time together decorating a tree can be a good start to the festive season. And once the lights and decorations are on, it’s sure to brighten up your home during the dark December days.
Or fake tree?
Whilst some people see a real tree as an absolute essential for Christmas, artificial trees have improved a lot over the years. The first artificial Christmas trees are believed to have been produced in the 19th century in Germany. Would you believe it, but they were made from dyed goose feathers! A clever idea, although perhaps not all that realistic in looks.
Thankfully artificial trees are far more realistic now and can be a more practical option if you don’t want to have to lug a real tree home or get it up flights of stairs.
Plus, of course, there’s no worries about having pine needles dropping over your floor or having to dispose of the tree when Christmas is over. Instead you just take the decorations off, take the tree apart, stick it back in its bag or box and pop it in your garage, back of the cupboard or loft ready to retrieve again next year.
In terms of decorations, especially glass or ceramic baubles, it’s important to store them safely in order to preserve their longevity. You could wrap each bauble in tissue paper or bubble wrap before packing them up in a box, or invest in a a specially designed Christmas decoration storage box – which has individual compartments for each item.
If you’d rather opt for an artificial Christmas tree this year that you can re-use again year after year, you’ll find 20% off all artificial Christmas trees until Monday 14th December at Homebase.
Win £100!
Finally, how do you fancy winning £100? It could go towards your Christmas tree this year, or you could use it to update the decor in your room next year.
Homebase have got a £100 voucher to give away – to enter, just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
(This post is in collaboration with Homebase)
Homebase Nanny’s favourite store
Great post – I used to always have a real tree and this year I went for an artificial one. You are correct in saying they have improved!! I love mine 🙂