Christmas Tree Talk
What I want to know is how soon is to soon?
I am pondering trees at the moment and am in a quandry.
In America,
our favourite tree was the Fraser Fir.
In Australia and New Zealand,
we used the plantation pine (Pinus Radiata).
In England,
the choices are the Norway Spruce (left)
and Nordmann Fir (right).
We are still deciding.
In the meantime,
I would love to know...
What country do you live in?
When do you put your Christmas tree up?
Do you have a particular type that you like to buy?
Do you prefer a fresh tree or artificial?
Do you have a preferred height?
What do you think?
Should we go for the
Norway Spruce or Nordmann Fir?
Decisions, Decisions!
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend
from this tree pondering blogger :)
Image:
Christmas tree harvest at
Goldsworth Nurseries, Woking, c. 1930
Photograph by Photopress at Fleet Street
Surrey History Centre
POSTSCRIPT:
Thank you all for your fantastic responses. I have learned so much!
I thought I would add the trees that some of you have mentioned.
I am also adding a wonderful pine scented candle that I use every year...it
works like magic at bringing the Christmas Spirit into our home.
POSTSCRIPT:
Thank you all for your fantastic responses. I have learned so much!
I thought I would add the trees that some of you have mentioned.
I am also adding a wonderful pine scented candle that I use every year...it
works like magic at bringing the Christmas Spirit into our home.
I love a big fresh Blue Spruce and look for one of these every year. The colour is gorgeous and the needles are lovely and bushy. We live in the Netherlands, so right now we're in the build up to SinterKlaas which is on 5th Dec (also my son's b/day = present overload!) - there is no tree for this celebration. I like to have the tree up about 2 weeks pre Christmas day - but I do like to keep it up as long as possible afterwards. I really dislike the artifical ones. I pick the Nordmann Fir for you!
ReplyDeleteWe buy a live tree "Charlie Brown Style" usually a Douglas Fir.
ReplyDeleteThis year with our kitten Pepper we are planning to buy a small one and put it on top of a table...and hope that she will not be able to remove all the vintage ornaments or chew on the lights.
We will put it up about 2 weeks before Christmas.
I will look forward to seeing your tree.
I'm seriously considering my "Pear Tree" as in Partridge in a Pear Tree for this year.
ReplyDeleteWe did this a few years ago...a bit of a modern take on the Christmas tree. A couple of very tall, naked curly willow branches in a tall glass vase filled with glass chips to stabilize.
I have a beautiful glass pear my mother gave me a number of years ago, and this and a big fat feathered partridge are the only ornaments.
Changes things up a bit!
Hello there - hmmm the choosing of a Christmas tree is serious business but I don't do it until December is atleast a few days in double figures! I would say it has to be real - no question. Of the choice in the UK of dropping and non dropping here is the decision point: if you like the smell go for the dropping version; if you don't mind it having no smell go for the Nordman! Lou xx
ReplyDeleteIn our household we always buy a real non-drop tree and by luck we have a very nice chap who sells very good trees from a stand at the top of our road so not far to carry home! I usually put the tree up the weekend nearest to the 12thish but I like to take mine down on New Years Eve so that I can start the new year with the house all lovely and clean with bowls of lovely bulbs and vases of narcissi - funny I know but I have always just felt when its over - its over!!
ReplyDeleteWe have such a wee little living room, we go with a Frazier Fir as they come more compact and I have them cut it short. I'd love to have a spruce but it looks like they droop form the weight of the ornaments...do you find that happens?
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best of luck, Jeanne!
XO,
Jane
P.S. I am in Chicago!!
Dear Jeanne
ReplyDeleteI love the first image!:-D
I live in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here, we either have the Norway Spruce, which many believe to be the 'real' Christmas tree or the Nordmann Fir, which most people have because the Norway Spruce loses its needles very fast.
People who go for the Norway spruce usually buys it only the day before Christmas or on Christmas Eve and decorate it during the day.
I also tend to think that the Norway spruce is the 'real' one, but I can't wait! As soon as the calender says December 1, I start thinking about buying a tree. I usually manage to make it to the 10th or so before I succumb and buy a Nordmann. I have a very small living room, but have an uncanny ability to come home with a gigantic tree so I have to redecorate the entire room.
Artificial trees are a no-no in Denmark.
A lot of people fell their own Christmas tree here in Denmark - is that a tradition everywhere?
Hi Jeanne - a fresh tree every time for me! Usually put it up the week before Christmas..
ReplyDeleteRe : your choice - the Spruce smells delicious but does tend to drop more than the Fir and the Fir (although not so delicious in scent) has a gorgeous shape...Decisions, decisions!! Good luck. x
I am with you Gillie, ours comes down New Years Day, like clockwork. I would go thru serious withdrawals if it were any later:) I have started my narcissi bulbs in anticipation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Hostess, I would love to see your Charlie Brown tree too. I have a great Christmas album of just Charlie Brown music, very relaxing! If you are interested I will send you the details.
I am with you Gillie, ours comes down New Years Day, like clockwork. I would go thru serious withdrawals if it were any later:) I have started my narcissi bulbs in anticipation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Hostess, I would love to see your Charlie Brown tree too. I have a great Christmas album of just Charlie Brown music, very relaxing! If you are interested I will send you the details.
I love your idea for a Pear Tree Jacqueline...what a lovely gift from your Mother too. Sound very exotic and beautiful. I hope you create a post around it ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Lou
Thanks for the tip. I am looking for a full 7 foot tree. Do you think I will get that here? They seem to be on the small side. Maybe that means we can have two! Now there is a thought :)
Gorgeous decorations are all about and I love all these Christmas Fairs!
I can tell already that Christmas in England is going to be pretty special.
I love this post, Jeanne. In Australia, I grew up with first a silver tinsel tree (urgh!) and then a plastic version (not much better).
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Germany, we had a fabulous Nordmann Fir which was about 2.5 metres tall.
Since having the pixies, we've had a Pinus Radiata. Nowhere near as pretty as a Nordmann Fir but at least it's real! J x
Thanks Jane for your comment, I am loving all these little insights to Christmas tree traditions around the world. I am imagining your tree in Tasmania filled with family love. There is nothing like the wonder of a tree when seen thru the eyes of a child. Enjoy these years Jane :) One day you will say they were your favourite
ReplyDeleteVictoria...now I am thinking Blue Spruce, if I can find it might be the way to go. Sounds wonderful..thanks for your comment!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane...such decisions we have! Glad to see we have another Fraser Fir amongst us :)
We like a Frazier Fur too because it always hold it's needles. We have had Blue Spruce that have lost them all in a 2 week span. A couple of years ago we switched to an artificial Frazier Fur because of the convenience (my husband had broken his leg and I didn't want to go get and put up a live one alone! ha!). We love it and even spary it with pine scent! Enjoy the hunting!!!
ReplyDeleteFir, Fir...not FUR...sorry about spelling!! And ours comes down New Year's Day too...when it's over, it's over!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna
ReplyDeleteI admit we also have a Frasier Fir artificial tree. We missed a big full Christmas tree whilst living overseas and bought a 7 foot artificial Frasier Fir tree. It holds all our ornaments, heavy and light.
I promised the kids that when we moved to England, we would go back to our 'American Style' Christmas tree but I am not thinking the artificial may need to come out again to be able to use all our ornaments.
We will have two this year. One real, one artificial. I am impressed that you found a pine scented spray. It took me several years but I finally found a scent that works like magic.
One whiff and I am in Christmas heaven. It is by Thyme and it is called, no surprise, "Frasier Fir". Fantastic scented candles too! I highly recommend this product!!!
You can find it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Thymes-Frasier-Fir-Aromatic-Candle/dp/B000E8V4Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1290863000&sr=8-1-spell
Hope you are fully recovered from Thanksgiving :)
Jeanne
xx
Thanks Sarah
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved to England last year, it was one week before Christmas and the pickings were slim.
I vowed to get my act together to find the perfect tree this year. I assumed trees would all be the
same in the Northern Hemisphere. How wrong I was! English trees have their own unique
charm. I am now thinking I will need more than one :)
Thanks Sarah
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved to England last year, it was one week before Christmas and the pickings were slim.
I vowed to get my act together to find the perfect tree this year. I assumed trees would all be the
same in the Northern Hemisphere. How wrong I was! English trees have their own unique
charm. I am now thinking I will need more than one :)
Now Jeanne, this is a very serious subject - the choosing of the right Christmas tree cannot be taken seriously enough t my mind!!
ReplyDeleteI personally go for the Norway Spruce, )I love the way it smells of hristmas!) cut the day before or the morning I buy it. While in our home it drinks about 1.5 litres of water per day, so even by the fireplace stays green for a whole month!
I choose the max height for our rooms so just under 3 metres, and it generally is up during the first week of December.
Have fun!
Sharon
xx
Boo Hoo! I want to come to your house Sharon! Just the sound of 3 metres makes my heart sing. High ceilings, big tree, great fragrance and the first week of December!
ReplyDeleteSecret: ours arrived yesterday but they sent the wrong one which is why I started this post. They sent the Nordmann Fir when we were meant to have the Norway Spruce. After what I have been reading I wonder if there will be any needles left by Christmas!
I have a feeling we will end up with more than one...I am now sold on just about all the trees that are mentioned in everyone's comments :)
So many wonderfull trees.
ReplyDeleteI love X-mas.
:)Kate
I just noted your recommodation of *Frasier Fir*...sounds so good!
ReplyDeleteI will order it right away....
Thanks, Jeanne for your words on my last posting!(just told Marie about it and she was sooo proud...getting such a huge compliment from a london lady...! ;)
The kids keep our hearts young and I`m hoping this will last for a very long time...(forever, please!):)
I changed the *Glee-Video* in a better one, cause the quality wasn`t nice enough to watch...I guess, this series will be one for the "older" ones, too....but, as usual, Germany has to wait until they show it on our tv.
Beate XX
Oh course it isn't too early!! I have two up, and a large one waiting to be brought in from the front porch. We get Fraser Firs... they are incredibly fresh here as their drive isn't too far. I adore your Nordman fir. It's looks quite perfectly Dickensian!
ReplyDeleteHere in CT we frequently choose a Fraser Fir but aren't wedded to it - have had Douglas as well. And I think anytime after Thanksgiving is ok - we wait a bit longer but no later than a week before Christmas. Looking forward to it all but need to get on the stick - very far behind this year!!
ReplyDeleteOhh my, i adore christmas trees. They smell so beautiful. But sadly, when we moved house my mum started with an artificial tree, i hate it!
ReplyDeleteOh well, i don't really know anything about them..
Happy days to you :)
K xx
I am pondering, too. Since we just moved and are still settling . . . should I put up my big tree or 2 much easier small trees. The small trees are prelit. . . hmmm?
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda
A fresh blue spruce was always our tree of choice when we had a real tree. These days we put up an artificial tree. I never thought I would, but honestly I have come to appreciate it. We usually put our tree up mid December and it comes down on New Year's Day.
ReplyDeleteI'll be eager to see what ever tree you select all decorated for the season.
I usually put mine up on December 1st, but we won't this year - we're busy redecorating. I've got a perfect little artificial tree, sometimes we get a live one as well. Looking forwards to seeing yours when you've made your decision & decorated it :)
ReplyDeleteWe always get some sort of fir - and most often it resembles a charlie brown tree. We love our simple little tree with it's white lights and basic ornaments. There is something comforting about simplicity during the holidays!
ReplyDeletexx
Hi, I;m from Poland. It's the first time I 'show" myself here, however I've been raeding your blog for quite a preety time...
ReplyDeleteSo, according to the tradition the tree should be put and decorated is 24th of Dec. - normally kids are to do it, while adults are praparing the "Xmas eve supper" - you have to know that in Poalnd the most important day of Xmas is this evening meal on 24th Dec. It's when all the familly gathers, traditional meals are eaten and the gifts are given. But of course nowadays people buy Xmas trees just from the beginning of December. I would be mine about a week before Xmas.
As to the type of the tree - well, I would say that the Norway Spruce is the most popular. It's not only the cheapest (and that counts before Xmas ;) ), but also smells so intensively!
My mom just sent me your blog and I love it! Having grown up in New England USA my father and I would always cut down our trees at a tree farm near by, my favorite is the blue spruce (all trees were only $20.00)! But now that I live in New York City that is just not possible. My boyfriend and I had to settle for the least expensive "breed" which is the Douglass fir for $40.00 (6 ft) - the Fraser is quite pricey @ $75-80! Oh how I miss those days in the country!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read more!