The Christmas tree is the centrepiece of a festive home. Here is where the tradition of decorating it came from, how to choose a real tree that will not shed before the holidays, how to decorate it tastefully and what to use instead if you will not have a real tree.
Festive arrangements with conifer and flowers are available among our flower baskets, and plants in our potted plants section.
Decorated trees for winter festivities are known from the 16th century in German lands: the earliest written mentions point to Alsace, while Riga and Tallinn also claim to be first. In the 19th century the fashion spread across Europe — in Britain it was popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In Ukraine the didukh, a sheaf of wheat, long remained the Christmas symbol, and trees became widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
With good care a real spruce lasts 2–3 weeks; pine and fir last longer.
Use only certified lights in good condition and switch them off when you go out; real candles on a tree are a fire hazard.
Nordmann fir and pine; spruce sheds faster, especially in a warm room.
1–2 weeks before the holidays; a potted tree no earlier than a week before.
Yes, if the root ball is intact: in spring once the ground thaws, after hardening the tree off on a cool balcony.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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