Just 25 more days.
When Nov. 1 falls on a Thursday, we can’t get any longer a period from Thanksgiving to Christmas than what we’re experiencing now. For many, the holiday weekend blitz of Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday and Cyber Monday also includes purchasing and erecting a Christmas tree.
They’re beautiful after they’ve been cut, be it on a farm where we get to help do the work, or if they’ve been brought to our neighborhood for sale. North Carolina is, after all, the second-leading state (to Oregon) in the nation when it comes to harvesting.
Growers, the National Christmas Tree Association tells us, will plant one to three new seedlings for every tree they harvest. That’s in comparison to artificial trees, typically made of a petroleum-based product manufactured mostly in Chinese factories.
Real trees are plentiful and we have our choices.
But there’s another decision for us to make as well. And that comes in terms of safety.
Each year, the American Christmas Tree Association tells us, fires cause $13 million in property damage. It doesn’t take much for one to start. The fires are a risk not only toward the property but also the lives of those in the home.
Most fires from Christmas trees are caused by the dryness of the tree, electrical malfunction with lights, or poorly located heating sources.
We fully endorse tips the organization offers to help us all have a safe Christmas:
• Fresh trees are less likely to catch fire, so look for a tree with vibrant green needles that are hard to pluck and don’t break easily from its branches. The tree shouldn’t be shedding its needles readily.
• Always place the tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights, and keep the tree base filled with water to avoid a dry out.
• Make sure all indoor and outdoor Christmas lights have been tested in a lab by the UL or ETL/ITSNA for safety, and throw out any damaged lights.
• Any lights used outdoors must be labeled suitable for exterior placement, and be sure to plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle.
• Keep all holiday candles away from your Christmas tree, surrounding furniture and decor.
• Bedtime means lights off! Don’t forget to turn your Christmas tree lights off each night.
The association says when the tree begins to drop its needles, it’s time to say goodbye to the evergreen foliage until next year.
This time of year is special. It is festive and there seems to always be a rush — whether it is us or everyone around us.
Enjoy it while it lasts, and be sure to pause and take care of your tree.