Christmas Trees

You may wonder why we even put up a Christmas tree each year? The history of Christmas trees dates back thousands of years to when pagan cultures would cut down evergreen trees in December and bring them inside their homes or temples in celebration of the winter solstice.

In the 17th century, German Christians began to adopt the tradition of evergreens and Christmas decorations. The tree as a symbol of Christmas spread through the rest of Europe and by the late 18th century had made its way to the New World in North America with German immigrants.

The first mention of Christmas trees in Canada was in Sorel, Quebec on Christmas Eve 1781 by a local German family.

But it wasn’t until Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, a German transplant, were featured in an issue of Illustrated London standing next to a Christmas tree with their family that they began to become popular with the general public. Since then, revellers have been putting fresh cut Christmas trees in their homes, town squares, and workplaces to celebrate the season.

Picking a Christmas tree has never been easier. Gone are the days of walking out into the middle of nowhere to cut down your own like Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation. “It’s not going in our yard Russ, it’s going in our living room”.

Today, getting a fresh cut or everlasting Christmas tree is as easy as a trip to your local Sheridan Nurseries garden centre, where you can choose from a large selection that will add beauty and elegance to your Christmas decor.

Choosing between a fresh cut or everlasting Christmas tree usually comes down to what best works with your lifestyle. Here are 8 reasons why you should consider choosing a fresh cut Christmas tree for your home.

• The Wonderful Smell Of Christmas: Fresh cut Christmas trees can fill your home with the fresh smell of the forest. Whether you choose a spruce, fir, or pine tree, you simply can’t beat the smell of a fresh cut Christmas Tree in your home.
• Helping The Canadian Economy: One of the benefits of choosing a fresh cut Christmas tree is the Canadian supply chain that brings them to our garden centres. There are Christmas tree farms located across Canada providing jobs to growers.
• The Look of Christmas: Fresh cut trees give your home an authentic Christmas look and feel. Fresh cut trees offer a lush full-body of greenery throughout the holiday season. With proper maintenance and care, your tree can last well into the new year. If you are using fresh cut Christmas trees for outdoor decor, it is important to follow winter protection tips to ensure the harsh elements don’t cause any damage.
• Environmental Benefits: It may be surprising to learn that choosing a fresh cut Christmas tree can be beneficial to the environment. Fresh cut trees are biodegradable and sustainable as waste can be used for mulch in the garden or other greenspaces. Another bonus is fresh cut trees are a renewable resource. This means they clean our water and air. They also play an important role in providing habitat and food for wildlife. Choosing a fresh cut Christmas tree ensures this delicate balance continues and reduces the amount of plastics and metals consumed during the holidays.
• No Need For Storage: Fresh cut Christmas trees are perfect for people who don’t have a lot of storage space. Once the season is over, simply put your tree on the curb to be mulched by your local municipality.
• It’s A Great Holiday Family Tradition: Choosing a fresh cut tree is the perfect way to bring your family together at the holidays. You can head to the nursery and choose your tree together, while sharing memories from when you used to do the same with your family.
• Easily Fits Into Any Space: Fresh cut trees can be easily trimmed to fit your space, so you can enjoy a nice full look. Most nurseries offer a variety of sizes from tabletop to grand trees that will fill large living spaces. If you need to make a few adjustments, simply trim the trunk and branches to size. Use any cuttings as Christmas decor. Boughs always look great on mantles or the exterior of your home.
• Encouraging Reforestation: According to Statistics Canada, there are 28,315 hectares dedicated to fresh cut Christmas trees. It takes up to 8 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity which means the earth gains countless years of environmental benefits from tree farms as they continually add new tree seedlings to their farms.

Fresh cut Christmas trees indeed offer a more authentic holiday look and smell, but some people may not be able to add them to their holiday core. Some buildings do not allow for fresh cut Christmas trees, while other people prefer the convenience and easy pack up of everlasting trees. Your local Sheridan Nurseries also has many varieties of everlasting trees to choose from so you can still enjoy this magical symbol of the holiday season.

To get a long and healthy life out of your fresh cut Christmas tree, it is important to make sure you take care of it properly. This means regular maintenance and watering to ensure it doesn’t dry up, causing needles to drop.

• Trim the trunk before placing in your stand and bringing indoors to ensure it can access fresh water
• Water your tree regularly
• Keep away from heat that may cause it to dry out
• Use StaFresh® to help preserve your fresh cut tree
• Mist your tree to help keep the branches moist. Remember to only do this when the tree is unplugged.

Following these tips will keep your tree looking great and smelling fresh all through Christmas.

Food is tough for birds in the winter. Keep your bird feeder fill with quality birdseed. Keeping feeders full with seeds that have a high fat and oil content will keep them full and nourished. Some of their favourites include black oil sunflower, peanut, Nyjer seed. Suet is also ideal for winter birds.

Fraser Fir – A favourite for its durability and perfect Christmas tree shape, the Fraser Fir offers lots of branches for ornaments, while not taking up a lot of space in your room.

Click here to shop Fraser Fir trees.

Balsam Fir – You may have noticed your favourite candle featuring the Balsam Fir scent. This is because it is a true showstopper, with a nice full body and a beautiful classic Christmas tree fragrance.

Click here to shop for Balsam Fir trees.

Scots Pine – Say goodbye to pine needles all over the floor with the Scots Pine. This tree is hardy and holds onto its needles all through the holiday season from cutting to disposal, making it a great choice for people who want a no-fuss, no mess tree.

Click here to shop for Scots Pine trees.

Norway Spruce – One of the first trees to be used for Christmas, the Norway Spruce is a holiday icon. Its sturdy branches are great for holding heavy ornaments and the beautiful fresh scent will fill your home all through the season.

The Christmas tree experts at Sheridan Nurseries can help you find the right tree to suit your lifestyle and decor needs. We offer a large selection of the most popular trees including Fir, Spruce, Pine, and more in a variety of sizes. Stop by one of our locations during the holiday season to get your fresh cut Christmas Tree.