Christmas tree query...

kgrant

Hi All.

I know it is a little pre-mature but it is my partner and I's first christmas living together and we are planning on buying a REAL tree in a few weeks at LEAST. From family and friends they always say buying a real tree is a pain in the neck as the pines fall off the tree frequently. My question is does anyone know of a spray or something that prevents this and where can you obtain a spray etc.? Any ideas on keeping the living room at Christmas from getting messy and cheap decoration ideas for our first Christmas together would also be appreciated......



PS - Anyone seen any crazy people with their Christmas Decorations up yet? lol

Paula202

Hi there

you can buy Christmas trees that don't really drop their pines, they are more expensive but really lovely. Another thing to remember is to keep it watered, we got a great stand last year in B&Q, I think it was about £20-25 but worth it, it makes it easier to get the tree into it straight and has a wee guage to tell you when you need more water.:T

Go for the real tree, its so worth the hassle as they are gorgeous and smell so Christmassy :snow_laug

touch*my*food*feel*myfork

We have a real tree every year (i insist!) and we go to the local farm to purchase it - i have never had a problem with pines, a few do drop but nothing major.
I do not spray it, i water it when we get it home and probably twice more in the three weeks that it is up, but even then i sometimes forget.

The worst bit is when we have to get it out of the house!

Francophile

We too buy one from a local farm. Usually costs about £15. If you buy before they are picked over you get a really lovely tree. Never had any problem with the pines except TMFFM above says, when taking it out of the house.

chunter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antitranspirant

and

"Hair spray, used occasionally is a key ingredient in maintaining the condition of the tree. A light coat of hair spray will help your tree retain its needles, due mostly to the Aminomethyl Propanol (AMP-95) which makes the needles more resistant to the lack of humidity indoors, a key factor in needle drop." reference

Sounds plain dangerous to me.. Bone dry tree covered in hairspray...

OnceUponADream

chunter wrote: »

Sounds plain dangerous to me.. Bone dry tree covered in hairspray...

With twinkling lights:eek:

Like others have said a good drink of water does the trick. We buy ours during the 1st week of Dec and never had a problem.

jmabnc

Keep the base of it in water, a few needles will still drop of but nothing a quick hoover up wont fix

RooBee

Like others, I have found that watering it a couple of times helps prevent the needle dropping off...and that's even with two huge dogs who bounce of it continuously.

We Have bought our tree from Dixons garden centre in Bangor for the last few years and always got a really nice one.

Locksmith

"Hair spray, used occasionally is a key ingredient in maintaining the condition of the tree. A light coat of hair spray will help your tree retain its needles, due mostly to the Aminomethyl Propanol (AMP-95) which makes the needles more resistant to the lack of humidity indoors, a key factor in needle drop."

Don't even think about doing this. Heat from lights, a spark etc and your house is up in flames.

Girlzmum

I've seen 6 houses in the last couple of days (Shore Road, Antrim Road, 2 near the Cliftonville Road, Donegall Road and one round the corner from me) Has no one told them its November?