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Choosing the Best Christmas Tree

With so many options and a limited amount of time before those jingle bells start ringing, it's no wonder finding that perfect Christmas tree for your holiday setting has become more of a chore than a joy. So we've compiled some things to consider when shopping for your tree and some helpful hints to get you through the selection process.

What to Look for in a Christmas Tree:

When it comes to making one of the most important purchases of the holiday season, consumers are faced with what can seem to be an overwhelming amount of choices. 

If you're considering a live tree, Hunt Club Farm is close to Sandbridge and offers beautiful trees for the holidays!  They sell Virginia grown Frasier Firs, and each year their trees arrive freshly-cut from White Top, Virginia.  Frasier Firs are fragrant, soft, short-needled trees and are relatively slow growers so they tend to keep their needles very well. The lot crew takes special care to stand up as many trees as possible, giving each one plenty of space to help you easily find the right tree for your family.  Tree prices start at $39, and 6 to 8 foot trees range in price from $45 to $85.   

When considering a live Christmas tree, ask yourself:

• Has the tree been well cared for in transit; was it baled up for a long period of time; does the tree have broken branches?

• Is the tree free of insects?

• Is the tree dirty?

• Do you own or have access to a hand saw to cut the trunk of the tree to keep it fresher and perhaps someone in the family or a neighbor to help you with this task?

• Do you have a way of watering the tree so that you minimize possible damage to your carpet and/or hardwood flooring?

• Do you have space in your home for the tree that is not near a possible fire hazard?

• Does the Christmas tree seller accept credit cards? If not, this could be a sign that the merchant is trying to sell left-over trees.

When buying an artificial Christmas tree, consider this:

• First, think of an artificial Christmas tree as an investment. Because you may be keeping the tree for 20 years or more, you may consider purchasing a high-quality artificial tree that has foliage resembling a real Christmas tree. This is often determined by the quantity of the branch tips and design of the foliage. In most cases, having more branch "tips" is preferred because an abundance of needles creates a full look for the tree.

• Ensure the Christmas tree has the specific desired appearance. Look closely to see if you can see the center pole of the tree-if so, it may not be a high-quality tree.

• Choose a tree with a strong stand to ensure that your Christmas tree will not topple or lean to one side, even if heavy ornaments are added to the tree. Some tree stands come with rubber feet to protect your carpet or your wooden floors.

Christmas Tree Decorating Tips:

First, determine the overall look you're trying to achieve. If it is simplicity you're going after, stick to one or two colors and start with stringing your lights. Add on decorations and ornaments slowly and as you see fit. If your style is more dramatic and colorful, outline your plan of attack first, lay out all of your decorations and go one step at a time.

Generally, follow this order to get the best overall look out of a Christmas tree. First, start with the lights. Go from the base of the tree and wrap the lights all the way to the top. Use one or many colored strands... this is entirely your preference. It's best to use about 100 lights for every vertical foot of tree.

Next, it's time to layer on your tree garlands. Again, there are no rules and uniformity is not the name of the game here. Start stringing garland from the top down and make sure to space out evenly and hang loosely on your tree. 

Now for the best part... The Ornaments! Start with hanging your most important ones, then the largest ones, and finally fill in the gaps with small and medium size "fillers" such as icicles or shiny balls. Create depth in your tree décor by hanging your ornaments both on the branch tips and closer to the trunk.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!  There is no right or wrong in tree decorating and you can always move things around to your liking. So gather the family, stream some holiday music, and get decorating. When the tree is finally up... be sure to reward yourself by kicking back in front of a roaring fire, sipping mulled cider, and admiring your handy work. Happy Holidays!  

PS - Many of our beach home rentals come with fully trimmed Christmas trees to help set the perfect holiday ambiance.  Call our friendly reservationists today at 1-877-422-2200 for more information on our available rentals.  See you at the beach! 

Siebert Realty - "The Beach People"
Vacation Beach Home and Condo Rentals

Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach, VA

www.siebert-realty.com

877-422-2200 / 757-426-6200