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

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

Merry Christmas, America!

Last year at this time, I wrote a blog about Christmas events around the world, so this time around  figured I’d explore closer to home and see what goes on in our country. What I found was, that when you remove the faith-based aspects of the season and other cultural celebrations (shout out to Kwanzaa), Christmas looks remarkably similar across the US. Everybody seems to like ornaments, Santa, Christmas trees and the general sparkle of the season. Where the differences lie are in the ethnic histories of communities, which makes sense in an immigrant country as diverse and multicultural as ours.

In parts of Louisiana it’s not just Christmas, it’s Cajun Christmas. Cajuns are descendants of French Canadian Catholics who arrived in the area in the late 1700’s. The story of these people, known as Acadians, is (like many other settlers) one of religious and cultural persecution and exile (here is a short history). They settled in the bayous of Louisiana where they could live their own way and their ancestors continue that attitude to this day. Cajuns have their own very unique language, culture and traditions that pull from the ancestral French but are spiced up Cajun-style. And Christmas is no exception - in Cajun Country Santa is called Pere Noel and his reindeer and sleigh transform into alligators and a boat when they reach the bayous (and the alligators have names).  Along the levees, bonfires are set on Christmas Eve to help guide him along. These fires also light the way to Midnight Mass. Over the years, people have gotten creative with the size and shapes of these fires – here is a giant alligator being constructed for this year’s Christmas Eve.

In our newest state, Hawaii, Christmas traditions are truly a cultural melting pot. For native Hawaiians, Christmas just happens to fall in the time period of their traditional observance of
Makahiki. This celebratory period between mid-November and late January-early February is meant to be a time to gather and pay tribute to leaders, harvest, rest and recreate. Christmas fits right into that. Many Americans became tuned into Hawaiian Christmas when Bing Crosby first sang “Mele Kalikimaka” (the phonetic version of “Merry Christmas” in native Hawaiian). Modern Hawaii has incorporated cultures from around the Pacific and their Christmas foods show it; sushi is as likely to be on the menu as poi. But, all in all, Christmas in Hawaii looks much like Christmas elsewhere – except that Santa is surfing, or wearing shorts, snowmen are sandmen and poinsettias are what’s blooming on those big trees in the backyard.

Christkindlmarket , Chicago, IL

Considering the huge number of Americans with German ancestry, it should come as no surprise that Christmas markets can be found across the US. Many, such as the Christkindlmarket in Chicago, reflect the large German populations within those areas; others are more fabricated and kitschy (but still fun). Having had the privilege of experiencing “real” Christmas markets in Germany, I highly recommend them in any form. Especially if they have mulled wine (Glühwein)! Here are of the best to be found.

Here in southern Arizona (and everywhere else there is a large Latino community), Christmas is tamale time. Sure, people decorate their cactus and put out luminarias, but Christmas in Tucson is about the tamales. It’s just in the air. In the last couple weeks, I’ve had numerous random tamale conversations. And people take their tamales seriously. There are unlimited variations to the basic recipe that are endlessly debated, validated, criticized and discussed. In the end, people fall back on what their families have always done. Because those are the best tamales, with that special nostalgic taste that Christmas demands.

Una tamalada

Why tamales at Christmas? Good question. There are many anecdotal theories (this article has some of those), but there’s no one definitive answer. Tamales have been eaten in the Americas for a very long time and sometimes such ancient sources of traditions can get blurred. What is not in question is that tamales are a family affair. Because they are labor-intensive, the more hands to help, the better. When people gather for the holidays that labor comes right into the kitchen. Tamale making then becomes a bonding experience and a way to honor traditions that is priceless. Here is an excellent article that relates one family’s tamalada. If you don’t have tamale helpers nearby, just like working solo or have never tried making them before, here is an article with illustrated step-by-step instructions. While its title indicates that tamale making is a family event, the clear cut steps will work well for a solo tamale adventure.

And now I’d like to pivot from specific traditions to straight-up Americana and talk about George Washington.  It’s never the wrong time of year to acknowledge the accomplished general and statesman who was our first president, but he also has some interesting connections to Christmas. His famous crossing of the Delaware, for instance. That took place, in the midst of a brutal winter storm, during the night of December 25-26, 1776. This historic moment is reenacted every Christmas in aptly named Washington Crossing, PA. Meanwhile, down at his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, people come to see his Christmas Camel. Washington was an animal lover and was especially fascinated with creatures from foreign lands. According to historical documentation, he regularly paid to see exotic animals, including a lioness, a tiger, a sea leopard and an an elephant. In 1787, he paid 18 shillings (a considerable amount to pay, about half a laborer’s weekly salary) to have a camel brought to Mt. Vernon at Christmastime. It would have been an extremely rare sight for his family and guests. Modern Mt. Vernon pays tribute to that camel by having a Christmas Camel every year. The current star is named Aladdin and apparently he is happy to pose for selfies, although he has been known to eat the occasional hat.

There are so many fascinating Christmas celebrations that I simply don’t have the time or space to share them all. I encourage you to look around and find new, delicious, educational and plain old fun ways to enjoy the season in your area.
                                                                                                         

                                            May the force be with you this holiday season!

  Submitted by Pam

Turn Christmas On Its Head

My blog from last week on colored Christmas trees got me going on unusual things that can be done with yuletide designs, trees in particular. Which led
me immediately to the

Claridge's, London 2017

upside-down tree. This trend has reared its controversial head in our country in recent years, but it has been around for a while in Europe. It dates back to sometime in the Middle Ages, although exact dates are up for debate. At that time, its shape was seen as a way to represent Christ’s cross or the Holy Trinity. Interestingly enough, many people today believe that the pointy end of the tree points to Heaven, thus making this the proper placement for religious significance.

The upside-down display became popular in retail settings in the 19th century. It was seen as a great way to present ornaments at eye level and to free up floor space. Upside down trees are especially popular in hotels and retail spaces today for these same reasons.

Besides commercial properties, who is this for?

- Fans of Stranger Things on Netflix who are already comfortable with the Upside Down

 - Someone who is simply bored with the traditional
 - Apartment and other small-space dwellers
 - Parents with small children who want to keep those little hands off  the tree (you could even place a platform above the tree to put presents on)

Wall tree

 - Someone who needs plenty of room to put lots and lots of presents under the tree

 - People with mischeivious and/or naughty little pets
 - Someone who wants to get their friends and family talking

Not quite ready to commit to a full-on upside-down tree? Here are some options:
- Hang a small artificial tree over a table for a centerpiece that leaves plenty of room for the food on the table.
- Cut a small tree in half, hang the pointy end and create a Christmas chandelier. Use the remaining branches as garland around the room.
 - Cut the very tip off a tree (or fashion one with wire and branches ) and hang it on a wall.
 - Create an abstract tree from whatever strikes your fancy.

Upside down trees can be bought complete with a stand, so you can just place them on the floor, or you can hang them yourself (here are some pointers on that). Naturally, it will be easiest if you have an existing ceiling feature that can handle the

Upside-down presents!

weight. There is speculation that the reason the upside-down tree fell out of favor in the past is that plastered ceilings replaced rafters in most homes.

Unless you are working with an upside-down tree that sits on the floor, when decorating your tree the weight of your decorations should be carefully considered. Think ribbons, twinkly fairy lights, lightweight plastic and lots of tinsel.

Go big, go small, hang them from the ceiling, hang them on a wall – you are only limited by your creativity when it comes to upside-down Christmas trees.

Submitted by Pam

Colorful Christmas Trees - A New Take On An Old Tradition.

Cranberry Trees at the White House

Red and green are generally seen as quintessential Christmas colors (although this hasn't been the case for long) and people decorate their Christmas trees and homes accordingly.The history of the Christmas tree is long and noble,with much of the symbolism around the tree and its colors stretching from pagan times into the early days of Christianity and beyond (Here's a brief history of the Christmas tree).

If you are not bound to tradition and/or symbolism and would like to change up the colors, there are many options open to an outside-of-the-box Christmas enthusiast (House Beautiful magazine has some great ideas). Nowadays, this is especially true when it comes to Christmas trees.  First Lady Melania Trump took the leap and added cranberry-covered red trees to the White House decorations this year. Some people are appalled by the non-traditional look, while others applaud the creativity; I will leave it to the reader to make up his or her own mind (get a short tour of the White House decorations here).

Giant cranberry trees aside, this year’s hottest trend tree-wise is black. Yes, black! Before you dismiss the idea, imagine how cool it would look all lit up with sparkling ornaments. Or consider black and white - it makes a stunning Christmas combination. I would love to try this out, but my family would mutiny – nothing but the traditional for them. Here are some more beauteous ideas for black.


What about pink? It’s not just for little girls anymore (although perhaps a hard sell to “manly” men). These striking trees would liven up most any home.

And then there is blue. For some reason, these trees don’t seem that out-of-the-box to me. Nevertheless, I still couldn’t take one home.

If you consider blue, considering purple is the logical next step. I know a couple of people who are crazy about this color. These trees would definitely fit their décor!

Christmas trees also come in ombre (the gradual blending of one color hue to another, with tints and shades blending from light to dark) for those who just can’t decide. Of course, there are a lot of ombre tree choices!

Don’t get enough red, white and blue in July? Here’s one for you!

If you like all the colors, or or if you want to make a personal statement, rainbow trees may be the choice for you.

If you prefer real trees to artificial, don’t despair. Many tree farms are painting trees. Pick a tree, pick a color, cut and go! See how Wyckoff's Christmas Tree Farm in New Jersey does it here.

If you are concerned about sustainability, the only way to go is a live tree. With proper care, you will be enjoying it year-round. These pointers may help with that.

Whatever colors you choose, remember it is all about enjoying the beauty of the Christmas season.

Submitted by Pam