by Jay Miller

Once you've cared for a real Christmas tree you may never want to use a fake tree again. Lots people have switched from using real Christmas trees to artificial ones in recent years but that doesn't mean there still isn't a place for cut trees these days. The challenges of setting up a large cut tree in your living room are largely overblown. Below are some tips to get you going:

Getting ready for your fresh cut Christmas tree: You almost certainly will need an electrical outlet close by for lights and decorations. You will want to protect the floors in the area where you are going to display your fresh cut pine because there may be a lot of foot traffic, liquid spills or heavy things being pushed around. A fresh Christmas tree is fairly heavy so you might want to think about a way to fasten it to a railing or wall just to be safe. It's important to be smart when picking the size of a cut tree by measuring the space you are going to use.

Watering your tree: Warm and dry homes will probably mean more regular watering trips, while colder homes may require a little fewer watering sessions. To help with water absorption, you can use a handsaw or chainsaw to cut an inch or so off the trunk before setting it in the stand. If you do not want to be concerned about forgetting to add water, you may want to look into some of the many affordableChristmas tree watering products. The amount of water you will need to give your Christmas tree will be determined by how big it is and the humidity in the room.

Decorating and disposal: Decorating a fresh cut tree is no different than with an artificial one, but safety should always be a main concern. Again, be sure your large tree can't fall or be knocked over very easily. Most electrical Christmas decorations are perfectly safe, but light-emitting-diode or LED Christmas decorations burn cooler than regular lights and use less electricity. Obviously, you need to be safe with electric decorations by always turning them out when you leave your home and by not overloading all the outlets you have.

A cut Christmas tree can truly make a huge difference in your holiday season. Even if you have been using a plastic tree for all your life you owe it to yourself to try a freshly cut pine at least once. While they can be more challenging than the artificial ones, live Christmas trees can bring a unique touch to the Yuletide season.


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