“
Home For The Holidays” November 21, 2012 A Lincoln Daily News Magazine Copyright 2012
14
Choosing the ideal Christmas tree
I
n many households, the first Christmas
decoration to go up is the tree. How that
goes, varies considerably. Some families
have gone the more modern route of bringing
the tree out of storage and setting up the
spruce in a matter of minutes. Then, there
are still those who love the experience
of going out and hunting for the perfect
Christmas tree, either pre-cut at a lot
or, for the freshest, from a local tree
farm.
Each kind of tree,
artificial or real, comes with its
own positives and negatives. The
key to finding the perfect tree is
finding the right one to fit the
family.
The first artificial Christmas
trees were made in the early
1930
s by a company called
AddisBrush,atoiletscrubber
company. The artificial tree
has come a long way from
its reputation as a gigantic,
green toilet bowl scrubber.
Trees now come in a variety
of shapes, sizes and colors.
Today there is any variety to
suit every taste, from the traditional Douglas
fir replicas to pink sparkle trees.
Advantages of artificial Christmas trees:
• •
A major benefit to purchasing an artificial
tree is that it lasts longer than a real tree.
• •
If stored properly, an artificial tree usually
has a life span of about 10 years.
•
•
There is no needle mess going in or
out of the house, and there is no need to
constantly water the tree.
•
•
Artificial trees now even come
pre-lit; therefore, there is no fight with a
ball of tangled lights.
•
•
Artificial trees can remain set up
for an entire holiday season and beyond.
Many Christmas trees morph into
an Easter and even Halloween tree
during the year.
•
•
Artificial trees are easier
to maintain and can be kept up
longer for those families who
enjoy a decorated tree all year
long.
The use of a real evergreen tree
to celebrate the holiday season
has occurred since before the
birth of Christ. Egyptians
used green date palm leaves
to celebrate the winter solstice.
Romans honored the god of
agriculture by decorating their
homes with lights and greenery. In the Middle
Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed
evergreen trees inside their homes to anticipate
the coming of spring.
According to legend, Martin Luther began
the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate
Christmas. One Christmas Eve about the year
1500,
Lutherwaswalking through snow-covered
woods and was struck by the beauty of a group
of evergreens. The branches were sprinkled with
snow that shimmered in the moonlight. When
he got home, he set up a tree so he could bring
the beauty inside.
The Christmas tree tradition was brought to
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