Christmas Tree Selection and Care

• By John Dudzinsky

It's the time of year when people are starting to deck the halls, including putting up their Christmas trees. When purchasing a Christmas tree for the holidays, one major concern is the freshness of the tree.

A lot of folks have a tradition of going to a Christmas tree farm to cut their own tree. This tradition guarantees freshness. Others will go to a Christmas tree lot and purchase a pre-cut tree. This is where you need to be careful. Take your time selecting a tree. When you pull one out, shake the tree and see how many needles fall off. The tree should only lose a small amount of needles. Also check to see if the branches are flexible and do not break easily when you bend them.

Tree height and variety is a personal choice. The top selling trees are balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and White pine. When you have selected a tree and have taken it home there are few tasks to do before taking it into the house. First you need to make a fresh cut about ¼ inch from the base of the tree and then place the tree in a bucket of water or into your tree stand. The tree stand should hold about a gallon of water. A fresh tree will take up about three or more quarts of water per day at first. Be sure to check it regularly.

Fire safety is extremely important. Do not place the tree near any source of heat. Check your Christmas lights before decorating to be sure they are safe and in good working order. If you leave the house or go to bed, be sure to turn the lights off. After the holidays, be sure to remove tree from your home and do not store or place it against the house or garage. The Town of Herndon will recycle the tree. Remove all of the ornaments from the tree and place the tree out to the curb on your regular trash day. Check the town’s web site, www.herndon-va.gov for the weeks they will be collecting Christmas trees.

For more information on Christmas tree selection, care and where to purchase, visit the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association website, http://www.virginiachristmastrees.org/

Have a SAFE and HAPPY Holiday season!



Holiday Lighting Safety Tips from Fairfax County

The festive holiday season can also be a dangerous one when it comes to electrical fires and holiday lighting. Each year more than 400 lives are claimed, more than 1,600 injuries occur and more than $990 million in property is lost to fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department offers the following lighting safety tips for a safe, happy holiday:

• Check your Christmas tree and other holiday lights for the Underwriters Laboratories label to make sure UL standards are met.
• Buy lights according to outdoor use, indoor use or both.
• Before attaching lights, inspect them for frayed wires, damaged sockets or cracked insulation. Replace them if any defects are found.
• Make sure a bulb is in each socket to minimize fire and shock danger. If a bulb burns out leave it in, unplug the entire set, then replace it.
• Don't connect more strings of lights than recommended by the manufacturer.
• Keep indoor extension cords and light strings away from water.
• Make sure all outdoor cords, plugs and sockets are weatherproof.  

Fairfax County also recommends a final precaution of making sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, have an escape plan and practice it.