Feest Isolation Days – 4 December
Just what will Christmas look like this year? It would seem that many many houses will be filled with Christmas trees (and doors with wreaths!). The sales of trees has gone through the roof and it is still early December. UK growers usually sell about eight million trees a year but the British Christmas Tree Growers Association which has over three hundred members says that this year that’s likely to be more like ten million trees. The wholesale to retail market is already up 24% on 2019. The Tree growers group speculate that people like the idea of the smell of the outdoors, or that they can’t go shopping for anything else at the moment and outside venues selling trees fill a shopping need.
The Tree Growers Association have some tips for how to manage your tree once it is with you. Useful information for all of us as we will get ready to untangle our lights and get ready to put the baubles on the tree!
A picture of one of our trees from previous years……
Take the tree out of its net and place it in a bucket of water outdoors until you are ready to decorate it.
Avoid placing it too close to a fire or radiator, as it will dry out and the needles will drop off, says the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Saw 1in (2.5cm) off the bottom of your tree before placing it in a stand with water in the base, advises the RHS
Check the water levels daily and keep it topped up
Turn off any underfloor heating near the tree, or place a mat underneath it
Cut trees should last about four weeks inside
If you have a living tree in a pot, display it in a cool room. Bring it indoors as late as possible, preferably the weekend before Christmas
Living trees should not be in the house any longer than 12 days
Local councils and members of the BCTGA often offer Christmas tree collection services, so they can be picked up and recycled after Christmas
We have Prince Albert to thank for our love of Christmas trees. He so fell in love with the German Christmas tree that he sent decorated trees to schools and the barracks around the Palace. In 1848 an engraving featuring the royal family trimming their tree sealed the fate of the tree. As you untangle the lights just be grateful you don’t have to fill the candle holders on your tree!
We plan to get our tree up a bit later in the month so we can keep it going well into January. By that time the presents will all be unwrapped, and we will need the cheer of the glittering lights to get us through the darkness that is January!
You might be delighted to hear that even though we are in Covid times, Santa will be getting a special dispensation so that he can make his rounds. The Irish Parliamentary minister wanted to alleviate any doubts from children that Santa would indeed be arriving this year.
Watch this and please share as widely as you can to children who may need the reassurance this parliamentarian so ably gave. I’m sure we will see unilateral acceptance of this principle throughout the world over the next few weeks. Well done to Ireland for leading the way.
Enjoy!
With love
Kathy x