How to Make your Christmas Tree Last Longer - Thursday's Tip

Do you have a real or fake Christmas Tree?

For our family, we have a fake Christmas tree. BUT there was a time when we would

go to the Christmas tree farm and cut one down...every year...until 10 years ago

when my hubby was sent overseas and life in the military made it impossible

for me and the kids to cut down our own tree, so we went out and purchased a fake tree.

But if your family has a real Christmas tree, did you know that

there are ways you can make it last longer?

Here are a few tips for this week's Thursday's Tip to make your Christmas tree last longer...

Come find the tips you need to know to help your Christmas tree last longer today on Walking on Sunshine Recipes.

Buy your tree from a local farm

When you purchase a real Christmas tree from a tree stand or home improvement store, those trees were cut down awhile ago. It's best to buy from a local tree farm or even better...cut your own tree. When our kids were younger, we loved going to a local tree farm and cut our own tree down.

Check the needles

If you have to purchase from a tree stand or home improvement store, check the needles of the tree. The needles should not fall off when you touch them. If they do, move on to the next tree stand and find a fresher tree.

Make sure you get the tree in water right away

As tempting as it is, don't bring your tree into the house right away. Fill up a bucket of water and put your tree in the water...after you recut the bottom. Cut off another inch or two from the bottom of the tree and let the tree sit in water for at least a few hours. Make sure the water is not too cold also.

Once the tree is in the house

Make sure you place the tree in a good location in your house. As tempting as it is, right next to the fireplace is not the perfect place for your tree...especially if you use the fireplace daily. Make sure the tree is away from anything that could dry it out. This includes baseboard heaters, fans, vents or even direct sunlight.

Check the water level daily

Trees tend to be very thirsty, so check the water level once or even twice a day. Make sure the water you add to the reservoir is warm. Some websites even recommend adding a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in the water to help keep the tree fresh.

Make sure the tree is secured

You do not want the tree falling down once it is all decorated. This happened to us one year on Christmas Eve...an hour before our family was due to arrive for dinner. It was not fun and we lost a few sentimental ornaments. Try to anchor the tree to the wall

using fishing line to help provide stability.

Removing the tree

When the Christmas season is over, try to recycle the tree. Call your local township or check the local paper for drop off locations or pick up dates and times. Our township comes around a week or so after Christmas to gather all the trees to recycle them.

Here are some photos from when we cut our tree down.

Just a few years ago...