Are there certain childhood memories that warm your heart? Growing up in my family, Thanksgiving day was all about turkey and prime rib, and relatives. You wouldn’t see a red bow in the house, and the box of Christmas ornaments was still up in the attic somewhere. Thanksgiving was a long leisurely family weekend (except the year I decided to do a two day mule ride in the Grand Canyon!). We didn’t have Black Friday shopping then, but instead we’d have this big family breakfast with the best home fries and onions loaded with butter…I can still see the steam coming off them and smell the pepper. My Dad would make stacks of fluffy golden pancakes. We could request a smaller “silver dollar” pancakes, and I often asked for those.
As for a Christmas tree, well, decorating for Christmas was something we did in December. As long as the ornaments were on, stockings hung on the mantle and garland strewn on the railings before Santa showed up on Christmas Eve, we were good.
Things have changed a bit since then. In fact, in the holiday season of 2024, a distinct shift happened in the Christmas Tree world. A big one. That year there were only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the smallest possible gap. People everywhere were feeling the time crunch (not that the holidays don’t already have us rushing around – I drink a lot more lattes in December!). The shorter holiday season catapulted people in action. They bought their Christmas tree earlier than they had ever done before. They brought down their heirloom ornaments from the attic, found gramma’s stuffing recipe, and put White Christmas on their Spotify. They were ready, but in November. It was a revolution, and it has never turned back.
Today, you’ll most likely find a Christmas tree joining you at your Thanksgiving feast. Here Hemingway Hill, our Christmas Tree operation in Terrell Texas, the biggest weekend of the year used to be the first weekend in December. Not any more. Now people buy their Christmas trees the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, and the weekend of Thanksgiving. In this generation, decorating for Christmas in late November is a trend that’s here to stay.
For those of us who love a real fresh-cut evergreen tree, extending its life by two or three weeks requires extra thought and care. You want your Christmas tree fresh-looking and green, not dry and brown on Christmas Day. And besides, a real tree is something special! Did you know that it takes 8 long years (or more) with someone tending to that tree before it’s ready to be cut for you? Your tree is going to be a focal point, where you gather for cherished holiday time together, where you take pictures your family will look back on for generations. It’s worth getting a great tree.
So even though Fall is just beginning, now is the time to plan where you’re going to find that beautiful Christmas tree and learn what you’ll need to do so it stays beautiful all season. We’re here to help!
5 important steps to ensure your Christmas tree will look fresh throughout the holidays
1. Choose a reputable tree dealer and ask the right questions.
Where you go to get your tree can have a major impact on its quality and lifespan.
Grabbing a tree from the parking lot where you buy groceries or your power drill (no judgement…we shop there too) often means your tree has received minimal care. To big retailers, live trees are just another item – sourced in bulk, and sold hopefully before they turn brown. These trees will often be stored out of water, and stacked like logs in the back. If you walk into a place and the floor is covered with needles, those trees were cut weeks ago, put in a hot semi truck, and are already dying. You might get a couple weeks out of them, but there’s no way they will look good from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Businesses that specialize in Christmas trees are more likely to have given those trees proper care. The staff should also be able to answer three critical questions:
- where the trees were grown
- when they were cut
- how/when they were transported.
Serious tree purveyors give serious thought to those three factors, because they have a huge impact on the product!
At Hemingway Hill, our growers in Washington state cut the trees the Sunday before our opening weekend. On Monday, they carefully placed those trees on a semi with hundreds of pounds of ice to help them stay cool and hydrated on their three-day journey to the farm. When they arrive, we put each tree in its own red bucket of water, and keep it under our custom tent or shade cloth (because we all know Texas sun is strong, even in winter!).
2. Think about what type of tree you want.
For most people, the first thing they look for in a tree is size. Our most popular size is 8.5’ which works great for average ceiling heights. Adorable little 4’ trees are great for kids’ rooms, and a 5’ trees looks fabulous on a porch. If you want a larger tree, they go fast! Tree suppliers stock fewer of these extra tall trees. We’ve usually sold out of ours by the second weekend of the season, so if you want one, be sure you come early!
You might also want to consider the type of evergreen you choose. We have found that Noble Fir and Fraser Fir last the longest and are a great choice for those November decorators. They have very strong needle structure, great for retaining moisture as well as holding up your ornaments. Another tree we love is the Nordmann Fir. It’s a showstopper! Truly a gorgeous tree, and probably my favorite. However, Nordmanns take a little more care. And you should ONLY get it if it is fresh cut! A Nordmann that has not received good care will only make you sad.
Some Christmas tree suppliers stock Virginia Pine and Leland Cypress. These trees are better for short-term needs. Here at Hemingway Hill we have found them more difficult to care for and make last through the long holiday season, so we do not carry them. If you do buy one, be sure you water it every day!
3. Do the feel, smell, and shake test.
When you find a tree you like, run your hand gently down the branch. The needles should be soft and pliable, and you should be able to feel moisture in them. If you open a needle, it will be a darker color. When you smell the tree, it should have that vibrant, wonderful pine smell. Lastly, shake the tree (carefully…it’s not yours yet!). Do a lot of needles fall off? If so, I would not want that tree in my home for Christmas.
4. Get the tree preservative.
If it’s available where you purchase your tree, I recommend some tree preservative – and be sure it’s pet and child safe! (many dogs see a tree stand as an extra watering bowl). The preservative helps keep the tree’s trunk from sealing with sap so that it can keep absorbing water. It also has some simple sugars to help feed the tree. Some preservatives take on a gel-like consistency that keeps the cut end from drying out, should you forget to water for a couple days. At Hemingway Hill, we think tree preservative is so important that we include a packet with every tree, a top-rated Christmas tree preservative from Oregon.
5. Re-cut the trunk, and don’t forget to water your tree.
All trees will perform best if you re-cut the trunk before you place it in water. This will help your tree absorb the water it needs to stay looking fresh. (at Hemingway Hill, we give your tree a fresh cut before you leave!) You can expect your tree to drink a lot of water, especially the first week. You’ll need to refill the bowl on a regular basis, and you might even consider setting an alarm to remind yourself to do it! Hydrated trees are happier trees.
