As fall transitions into winter, thoughts inevitably turn to the holiday season. For many people, Christmas trees are an important part of the celebration, and there can be strong feeling connected to the decision of whether to choose an artificial or a real tree.
Devotees of real trees will often point to the amazing fragrance they can bring to your home. There is something nostalgic about the presence of this greenery and life during the depths of winter. But what artificial trees lack in this regard is balanced by the convenience of using the same tree for many years in a row, present minimal risk of fire, and the potential for having a tree up for a long portion of the holiday season. Real trees must be purchased each year, and at most will last indoors for three to five weeks. To maximize their longevity, keep them green, and prevent them drying out, start by making a fresh cut of the trunk to allow it to take up water. Keep the reservoir full at all times and locate your tree in a location away from heat sources such as fireplaces, heat vents, and sunny windows. It may be a bit messier to remove a real tree from the house at the end of the season (I often find needles well into spring!) but these trees can find a new life in the garden. They can be mulched, or branches can be cut and laid on top of the ground to protect soil over the winter. We often stand our tree up in a snowbank and enjoy watching the birds take advantage of the cover they offer. Artificial trees ultimately deteriorate, and at the end of their usefulness must be taken to the landfill. This along with the materials used to make them, and the distance they travel from where they imported create a significant carbon footprint.
Clearly there is an additional cost to purchase a real tree each year, but Christmas tree farms are sustainable businesses that we can choose to support. In Alberta, it’s true that we have few tree farms locally to purchase from (it just takes too long for trees to reach an appropriate size in our climate), so don’t be surprised if your tree has travelled from BC or the eastern provinces. If you want to cut your own tree you can purchase a Personal Use Forest Products Permit from the Alberta Government for a small fee. This allows you to get outside the city to a designated area on Crown Land and participate in the ritual of selecting and cutting your own tree.
Regardless of the tree you choose the tradition of using materials that are evergreen in appearance to decorate our house helps to carry us through the dark and cold winter and anticipate the coming of spring.
Look out for upcoming events such as our winter container workshop, and movie night in January. Happy gardening!
Click here to the Chinook Park Community News home page for the latest Chinook Park community updates.
Click here to the Eagle Ridge Community News home page for the latest Eagle Ridge community updates.
Click here to the Kelvin Grove Community News home page for the latest Kelvin Grove community updates.
