Reusing Christmas Trees for Any Skill Level

Whether you are a person that takes down their Christmas tree before New Year’s Eve or someone who waits until way into January, you still have to decide what to do with it once it’s stripped bare. If your tree is artificial you most likely just stuff it in the box, but real trees have to be disposed of somehow. There are a lot of ways to do this; some are easy, but others require tools and motivation. Here are some ideas based on just how much work you want to do.

- The Simplest Ways –

Recycle It - Most communities in the U.S. have some sort of tree recycling program and it’s usually available to both apartment dwellers and single-family homes. They usually offer curb-side pickup or some equally convenient way to get your tree to them. You really can’t get much easier than hauling your tree to the curb when you are taking out the mountain of packaging and other garbage that Christmas creates.

Leave It Outside – If you live where you can pull it off, just leave your tree in your yard or nearby fields or woods. Natural Christmas trees are 100% biodegradable, and the soil will appreciate the donation of organic matter. Shelter can be hard to come by in winter, so all types of animals and will appreciate the added protection the tree offers. Additionally, both insects and animals will feed on the tree. You should only dispose of a tree this way if it is chemical-free and everything artificial has been removed, down to the last bit of tinsel. If you are leaving it anywhere but your own property, be sure there are no regulations prohibiting it and that you are not trespassing on someone else’s property. 

Add It To A Firepit – Some people may argue that this is not the best choice since burning them adds CO2  to their air. However, if you have regular fires at this time of year, one single tree will not increase your emissions in any significant manner. Never burn a tree in an indoor fireplace; they are an extreme fire hazard in many ways (more details here).

Give It To Your Chickens – Giving your Christmas tree to your chickens offers multiple benefits to them. Not only do they like the taste of pine, but it is a nutrient-rich snack. Additionally, having the tree in their run will provide hours of stimulation as they root around in it, which will also spread the refreshing smell of pine around. Goats also love pine, and it’s been shown to reduce intestinal worms and support overall digestive health for them (more here). So, when you go out to feed your animals,

drag your tree out with you. 

- A Little Work Is Needed –

Use It’s Ashes - Wood ash is nutrient-rich, so after your tree is burned you can dig it out of the firepit and add its ashes to your garden. They can also be composted. 

Find A Place That Wants It – There are municipalities that use donated trees for projects like landscaping and erosion control. For instance, many seaside communities are using them to strengthen their sand dunes. There are also some zoos that take trees to give to their animals to eat or play with (see lions living it up with their trees, here) Do a little research to find what’s around you and who might want your tree.

Sink It In A Lake – Just as land animals would appreciate the shelter of the tree, overwintering fish will also. While this is as simple as tossing the tree in water, unless you have a pond on your land you will need to find a location that will allow this, and you will need to transport the tree to that site. As mentioned before, your tree will need to be chemical-free and completely bare before you dispose of it in water. 

Put It On Your Beds – Break off some boughs and lay them over your  perennial beds. This will provide some insulation as well as a barrier protection from snow. It will also help reduce frost heaving. You don’t have to limit yourself to bedding areas, put them anywhere you feel could benefit from that extra layer.

Use It As Plant Stakes – Break off small branches, strip the bark and use them to support your plants. Since this is a super-adaptable process, this will work for everything from bushy small indoor plants to leggy seedlings. Look around and you may find another way that this break-and-support thing would work for you. 

           - You’ll Need Tools For These-

Chip It Up – Rent or borrow a woodchipper and feed your tree to it. You can use the resultant chips as mulch right away or save them until spring. Pine mulch will suppress weeds and add nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. The acidic nature of pine mulch makes it an excellent additive for acid-loving plants like blueberries, hydrangeas and potatoes.

Make It Into Twig Gnomes – This is an exceptional tree disposal solution if you have small children. You’ll probably not be able to get rid of a whole tree by making twig gnomes, but you’ll have plenty to play with. And they couldn’t be easier to make : Cut off some branches, sand them down a little and add hats, beards and faces. The hats can be painted on or made with felt, fabric and cotton balls. Here’s how one lady makes them . 

Edge Things With It – If you strip off the branches and cut the trunk into disks (2” is a good size), you can set them in the soil as a border. This would be especially effective along flower beds, walkways and driveways.

Make It Feet – In much the same way as you’d make the edging, you can make pot feet for your outdoor container plants. Lifting outdoor plants off the ground helps reduce insect problems, improves drainage and air circulation around the pot and lessens the chance of staining your wood or concrete surfaces. Make them any size you want and make extra to hold onto and use when the originals deteriorate.

- Master Level Crafts –

There are innumerable ways you can use your tree in crafts. At the end of the day, Christmas trees are wood, and one can make nearly anything from wood. These types of crafts can be pretty easy, like the ones I’ve talked about, but others require more tools, time and finesse than most of us have (i.e., clocks, musical instruments). This article has a lot of ideas and even gives instructions on how to prepare a tree to reuse.

No matter how you recycle your tree, remember to first enjoy it thoroughly in all its sparkly, shiny decorated beauty. Christmas with loved ones around the tree can be magical, and we all need a little magic in our lives.

Happy Holidays!

Submitted by Pam

The Wonderful World of Wreaths

Wreaths are arguably the most ubiquitous of all Christmas decorations. They are also the most versatile and are more than just Christmas décor – they can be enjoyed in a seemingly endless number of ways all year long. 

Roman mosaic

People have made wreaths a part of their lives for thousands of years. While it is impossible to know who the first person to create a wreath was, they were widely in use in ancient Greece and Rome. They were hung on doors to celebrate a military victory and worn on the head to denote status and occupation. Early Christians appropriated the wreath as a symbol of Christ; the circular shape illustrates the immortality that their religion promises. From this, the Christmas wreath evolved. If you want to know more, here’s a nice little article that tells the history of wreaths.

     Traditional Christmas

Regardless of their origin, wreaths are now a set symbol for the Christmas holiday. The season would just not be the same without them. Traditional Christmas wreaths are a delight, but so are the many variations of wreaths that the ever-creative human brain can muster. They can be made of virtually any material and can send a specific message or no message at all. 

       Permanent Décor

These two examples show how wreaths can become a focal point for the curb appeal of a home. These types of wreaths transcend any holiday and carry no particularly deep symbolism. Instead, they are a carefully considered addition to a home’s design. And they really work.

        

    Year-Round Holidays

Wreaths are a thing for any holiday. Easter calls for eggs, of course, and the flowers of spring and summer are perfect for displaying in any design. But, why not a red, white and blue wreath for the 4th of July? And there are so many fun ways to do a Halloween wreath or Autumn-themed wreath.    

                      

   Hanukkah

Christmas does not hold a monopoly on religious wreaths. There are also beautiful wreaths to adorn the homes of those who celebrate Hanukkah at this time of year. Like Christmas wraths, these designs are generally driven by traditional colors, religious symbols and personal aesthetics.

                    Place-Specific 

Some wreaths send a quiet message that celebrates where they are hung. This beautiful example on the right is made with magnolia leaves and can be found in the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, VA. You can’t get much more old-school Southern than magnolias and Virginia. And nothing says “Southwest” more than a prickly pear cactus wreath.

                             Gardening

As a gardener, you could use a wreath as a way to display what you’ve grown (flowers, fruit or vegetables). Or you could make a fun wreath full of the tools of the trade. Either would look super-cute on a garden gate or shed door. If you have another hobby, this would work as well. Perhaps a golf ball wreath?

                           Arts & Crafts

Creating wreaths as a group activity is popular with many people this time of year. Whether that means you and the kids or an adult gathering, it’s fun either way. Just grab some basic elements and gather the group (holiday cocktails recommended for adults). I have recently become intrigued with ice wreaths. They would make an ideal crafting project for children. It would keep them busy and out of the way for a while, although the water part might need supervision. I wish that we had colder weather here in Southern Arizona so that I could create some of these that would last. Here’s how to make them. 

            Unique Elements

It's clear that one can make a wreath from anything. But some people look way out of the box for their source material.  Whether building a wreath from computer components, or antlers, these creators have given us wreaths that are unique and visually alluring. 

If you want to see more wreath designs (some of which are quite unique), Etsy has pages and pages of them, starting here. If you are more interested in creating an unusual wreath yourself, here’s a link to 65 DIY wreath ideas that should fit that bill. If you want to make a wreath but don't want to figure it all out yourself, here’s a link to a company that sells wreath kits. 

Have yourself a wonderful holiday season!

Submitted by Pam

Have Yourself A Nostalgic Little Christmas

According to people who keep track of these sorts of things, a big trend this Christmas is nostalgia.
Decorating and celebrating in retro ways seems to offer the modern reveler some comfort in the storm of current events. What better way to escape the inflation, social upheaval and pandemic that has colored all our lives than by retreating into an imagined time of good old days? In this blog, I have put together a smattering of Christmas joy ideas from the 1950s and 60s. I’ve chosen those decades because, frankly, I think they’re the most fun to replicate. It may be late in the season to do all this, but maybe do it next year, or pick a few

elements to embrace. 

The Tree - You’ll need to get the tree right for a proper vintage Christmas. You’ll want  plenty of brightly colored glass ornaments (maybe even some bubble lights), and you’ll want to make some popcorn or paper chain garlands. If you can swing a toy train to put under the tree, that would be ideal. And of course, a must-have is tinsel – and gobs of it. Unfortunately, the modern tinsel made of mylar doesn’t drape as well as the old-school kind that was made of lead. They outlawed that stuff back in 1972. You could go for an aluminum tree; their heyday was from the very end of the 50’s until the mid-60s  (see my blog from last year for their story). If you go with the metal tree, you may as well commit to a color wheel as well (also super-fun).

Décor -  Artificial snow spray was patented in 1953, and it was a big hit immediately.  After you spray some of this all over your tree, give you windows a good coating.. A word of warning, though: That stuff can be hard to get off surfaces. 

Nutcrackers became a Christmas thing during the 50s. You could add one to your table or put it under the tree with the train, but really they can be as little or as big as you like and go almost anywhere. 

Although people don’t send out Christmas cards like they used to, you should prominently display any that you get. 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first aired in 1964, so that little reindeer was very much a part of pop culture at the time. Any decorations that he's a part of are good.

Starting in the late 50s, the US and Soviet Union were in a Space Race that culminating with the moon landing in 1969. Anything that was outer space or astronaut themed was popular and this was when science fiction came into its own as an entertainment genre. So, add anything space-y to your theme to tap into the excitement that all the new science brought. Here’s an article on how to go full Space Age on Christmas.

Santas, you need Santas. Santa ornaments, tabletop Santas, Santa door-hangings, Santa linens, Santa dolls – all kinds of Santas were popular throughout the 50s and 60s. And some of them were pretty creepy. For more Santa decor (some creepy, some not), check these out.

Kitsch is king in vintage decorations, so you have a great deal of leeway in choosing. Think rocking horses, Christmas villages, wreaths, tree toppers and wall hangings. All of these are available retro-style, extra-cheesy optional. Here’s some examples.

Food - If you choose to do an authentic mid-century Christmas, you should commit to mid-century tastes. So, out with the paleo or keto routine and in with relish trays, Christmas cookies,  elaborate cakes and even more elaborate appetizers, Jell-O molds and creamed onions. Or maybe not – here’s some menus to get inspired by. And don't forget the nut tray - it's the perfect accessory to your nutcracker because back in the day people would actually use them to crack nuts.

Drink - I don’t want to portray everyone as drinkers in the 50s and 60s, but the culture of cocktails was strong. Cocktail parties and boozy poker nights were common, so a proper host or hostess had a well-stocked bar. But no IPAs or flavored vodkas – we’re talking scotch, vermouth and gin. And whatever it is they need to make a Pink Gin Fizz. And there was eggnog, of course. This was a special favorite of those that “only drank on Christmas”. Holiday punch (spiked or not) was also popular. Here are some excellent cocktail suggestions that would be right at home at any mid-century gathering. 

Dress Code -  After you’ve dolled up your tree and house, get yourself all fancy. In the 50s, one always dressed up for Christmas. So, gentlemen get the tie out and ladies, put your heels on (I think you can skip the girdle, though).

Music - Although it should go without saying, I'm saying it anyway - no retro Christmas would be complete without a soundtrack of  great mid-century Christmas crooners. Bing Crosby, Eartha Kitt, Perry Como and Dean Martin are some of my favorites but there is an abundance of goodness in Christmas music of the era.

Happy Holidays!

Submitted by Pam

The Art of the Christmas Tree

To most people, Christmas decorations are a wonder to behold – the lights, color, and sparkle are simply enchanting. But, is it Art? I believe most people consider theirs to be a work of Art, but Christmas tree images are almost non-existent in the fine art world. Nevertheless, artistically-minded Christmas tree lovers have found ways to be creative and, at times controversial, in their tree creations. And their visions have made their way into the public sphere for all to enjoy or abhor. 

There is a very good reason why there aren’t depictions of Christmas trees that date many centuries in the past– the trees as we know them simply haven’t been around that long. The rise of the modern Christmas tree has been credited to Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. He was German, and there they had been decorating evergreen trees since the 16th century. He introduced the tradition to England and, in 1848, an engraving of the royal family around their tree was widely published. Spurred on by the popularity of the Queen and the vastness of her empire at the time, the use of Christmas trees quickly spread worldwide. So, it was a piece of engraved art that was the catalyst for our current beloved trees.

Art Deco tree

Even though Christmas trees became increasingly fashionable, artwork depicting them remained mostly limited to kitschy greeting cards and advertisements for many decades. And then came the design explosion that was Art Deco in the 1920s. This was a radical shift from conventional ways of looking at fashion, housewares, architecture, and more. Sleekly modern stylized images were all the rage during this prosperous era. Glamorous people standing by abstract trees became a popular Christmas look. The glitz of Art Deco, however, soon wore off under the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II. Glam gave way to homespun images and all-out Americana as people longed for better times and optimism in the future waned. No one could portray these “All-American” values better than Norman Rockwell. In his lifetime (which spanned much of the 20th century), he painted thousands of images full of homespun humor and affection for the average citizen. They appeared on magazine covers, advertisements, and calendars – they were ubiquitous in pop culture. The world he portrayed might not have been familiar to many Americans, but it was at least aspirational. His Christmas-themed works are full of conventional trees and families, but he includes witty twists that can bring a smile.

Traditional tree images seemed to rule the day throughout the 1950s. Until 1959, is. That year, Hallmark cards (in a fit of high-brow optimism) commissioned the famous surrealist painter, Salvador Dali, to make some Christmas cards. When they came out in 1960, there was an audible outcry. It seems the public was not quite ready for his vision of a butterfly Christmas tree. Or comic camels. Or headless lute players. I, personally, like the butterfly tree. 

At the same time that Hallmark was managing its Dali situation, the aluminum tree came into the mainstream. I wrote about this tree’s brief heyday in my blog last week. I haven’t been able to find any artwork depicting this tree, aside from basic advertising renditions. It’s my belief that the best illustrations of these trees are in family photo albums.

Dali butterfly tree

I'm going to fast-forward to the 1980s because this is when begin to take an interesting turn. For decades leading up to this time, Christmas decorations were all over private and public spaces. Whole neighborhoods lit up. Stores had elaborate displays inside and in their store windows on city promenades. Hotels were ablaze with lights and shiny decorations. Towns and cities, both urban and rural, had their community Christmas tree, and families came to ooh and ah as they were lit. But these were all usually very conventional decorations – heavy on the Christmas ornaments, snow (real or fake), maybe some reindeer or Santa (or even a Grinch or two), and lights, lights, lights. But, by the 80s, people began to take some risks in pursuit of something new for their Christmas installations. Instead of a standard tree, many places welcomed more conceptual Christmas decorations. 

In 1988, the world-renowned Tate Britain museum in arts-rich London decided to turn over their annual  Christmas tree display to a series of contemporary artists. In recent years, the artwork seems to have migrated outdoors, but for 23 uninterrupted years, Londoners were regaled with some mighty interesting trees. Or, more correctly, most of  those years there was some sort of tree – a couple of years the artists’ visions were of no tree at all. Here are pictures of every year. My choice for worst-dressed is 2006; Fairy genitals just don’t say “Christmas” to me. 

Whether the Tate Britain was an innovator or acting in response to a growing movement in the art community, I don’t know. But, since then alternative Christmas tree displays have spread around the world with spectacular results. Interestingly, hotels seem to have taken on the job of showcasing certain artists (like this one in London), while municipalities have embraced Christmas trees made of alternative materials and/or carrying specific messages. This, then, is where modern Christmas tree Art can be found. And, just like Hallmark’s Dali debacle, not all the efforts are appreciated. Back in 2014, artist Paul McCarthy unveiled his bright green, inflatable abstract Christmas tree in posh Plaza Vendome, Paris. Unfortunately (and, purposefully), it bore a striking resemblance to a very particular type of sex toy. The display only lasted two days. I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure some Parisians are still upset about it. See it for yourself here.

Jack Irving Christmas tree at the W London hotel

There are so many amazing examples of these Christmas tree installations that I cannot choose just a couple to direct you to, so I’m just going to provide a series of links for you to browse through at your leisure:

• Now that we are firmly in the 21st century, it should come as no surprise that many of the modern tree designs are high tech art. Check out some here and here (this one includes a flying Christmas tree).

• This article talks about a show in Boston last year by the modern artist Hyman Bloom. It combined Christmas tree paintings with those of corpses (not sure I follow that line of connectivity).

• Here are some 2014 Christmas tree installations from around the world.

• Here are some of the best from 2016.

• And this is what they look like for 2020.

No matter where your artistic preferences lie, you can find something to like during the holiday season. And, at this time, when we are all ready to get this horrible year behind us, we need all the beauty (or whimsy) we can get. 

Happy Holidays and here’s to a better New Year.

Submitted by Pam

Tree Gifts

Now that we are done digesting the turkey and are almost sick of turkey soup, it is time to get serious about Christmas shopping. This year shopping, like everything else in 2020, is colored by Covid. Instead of flocking to big box stores and the mall, many people are shopping in the safety and comfort of their homes. But endlessly searching the net can be deadly dull for some people, and rife with a-lot-of-the-same for everyone. So, if you are a tree lover and/or are shopping for one, I have done some of the scrolling for you and curated some cool choices. But, don’t think only of tree aficionados while looking through these choices, anyone who loves Nature in general will enjoy one of these. 

When you get right down to it, the best present for a tree lover is probably an actual tree and these days there are a variety of ways you can gift one:

• Trees that someone else plants: For someone who doesn’t have the place or desire to plant a tree, you can donate to a non-profit and they’ll plant one for you. The Nature Conservancy is not fooling around. This well-respected organization plans to plant a billion trees, much of it funded by small donations. Another option is the nonprofit Donate A Tree To The World. They are fighting climate change and helping disadvantaged communities in Mexico and Colombia through reforestation. They will send you a picture of your tree and follow its growth for you. One of their projects is working to build the numbers of pine nut trees, whose struggle I wrote about in my last blog. Pine nuts are not just important to people around the world, according to this article by the World Wildlife Fund, pine nuts are essential to tiger survival in the Russian Far East. 

• Trees to grow from saplings or seeds: It takes real optimism in your recipient’s commitment to give a tree seed as a present. But, should you choose to do so, Seeds of Life has the stuff for you. They sell seed packets, seedlings, and gift trees. Many other outlets, like FastGrowingTrees.com and Bower & Branch, sell a great variety of small trees ready to be gifted. 

Still unsure about giving a living tree? This short article has some ideas about why you should, trees for different occasions, and additional nonprofits that plant trees.

If you think having a tree planted from afar seems less-than-personal for a Christmas gift, perhaps you’d prefer to buy a present that you can touch, and still plant a tree. There are more and more businesses that position themselves as eco-friendly and many are getting their hands in the dirt to prove it. Companies like Save Lands offer cute gear and entice you to buy with their tree-planting mission. For Save Lands, it’s twelve trees planted for every item sold. Here is a list of nine other companies that do something similar. This trend of driving e-commerce with feel-good consumerism is not universally accepted. Here is an article from Canada that explains some of the reasons why.

Some retail sites have outstanding selections for the tree lover on your list. Here are some standouts:

• Soul Flower – Their things are very I-wish-it-was-the-60’s, Boho-Hipster Chic. But in a good way.

• Popular Science - I know – Popular Science? This is not really a retail site, but, Eleanor Cummings has put together a thoughtful collection for tree huggers. 

• Uncommon Goods – This site has an uncommonly good selection of tree-themed gifts.

Misty Mountain Clock

• Wildlife Wonders - Their goods can be pricey, but they're clever and beautiful. Even if you don’t have deep pockets you should take a scroll through this site just to admire what they have. And there are some deals to be found.

Large retail sites like Etsy have seemingly endless items under their tree-themed sections. If you’ve ever been on Etsy, you know the stuff ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. For not-expensive gifts, I particularly like the pinecone key chains, the misty mountain clock, and the handmade fir tree soap. The tree wall art is also very nice if you have the right person with the right space to give it to. Another potential Etsy gold mine of tree presents is the multitude of Tree of Life designs – jewelry, art pieces, textiles, you name it - I think I even saw a knitted cap in there.

As I’ve been looking at tree-centric gifts, I’ve noticed all the family trees that keep popping up. They are clearly wildly popular these days, and with good reason. As more and more people do their DNA, interest in ancestors has grown and family trees are a great way to showcase all that. But, the variety of styles and cost-points is nearly overwhelming. You can get a kit from Family Locket that can be done with the kids and makes a felt family tree. Or you can get a pretty black metal tree that you add engraved magnetic leaves to from Personalization Mall. Or you can get a wall hanging that shows your family fanning out in a beautiful tree from this Etsy vendor. Or you can go to Branches and get a fully custom family tree made, including framing. Or (my personal favorite) get your family tree put on an actual piece of wood from Foxbairn. If this is something you think you want to do, you should act fast as custom pieces take extra time to create.

Finally, I’d like to recommend an ARBICO Organics gift certificate.  While it’s true that we don’t sell trees or tree-themed merch, we do cater to people who care for trees. So, if your tree lover walks the walk by growing trees, we have something they can use. And, of course, we have something for anybody who loves to grow anything. 

Christmas is meant to be a happy time of year, but this year is bound to be challenging for many. If at all possible, try to make the one thing you can control –your gift-giving – as simple and enjoyable as possible.

Take Care.

Submitted by Pam