NEED SOME MAJOR HELP HERE! SRRY Caps...need some help here

[TitoJ]

So I've never bought a Christmas tree in my life. And now we're in a house, instead of an 800sq ft apartment. So my wife wants one now, and guess what? I never had a Christmas tree growing up, we had gifts sure, but my parents just never went out and got a tree. They did other decorating, but no tree.

So I need some pointers here. She wants to go out tonight to get it, and I have no idea what a 'good Christmas tree' looks like! They're freaking pine tree's right? or evergreens, or some ****. They're all over Michigan...they all look the same to me!

[Asketes]

easy:

Walk with her, pay attn to where she's looking, then casually walk up to different ones and say: hmmm? what do you think of this one.

sometimes agree with her, and sometimes disagree, you do have to be kind of genuine here.


then eventually say, i like this one.


look for ones without burn marks, gaping holes, or poo on them lolololol

[slothinator]

Check the tree for squirrels - this is really the most important part. After that, make sure you aren't putting a 10' tree into a room with an 8' ceiling, and keep the tree watered so the lights don't make the tree burst into flame.

[TitoJ]

Check the tree for squirrels - this is really the most important part. After that, make sure you aren't putting a 10' tree into a room with an 8' ceiling, and keep the tree watered so the lights don't make the tree burst into flame.

sHeesh. This is sounding like advice straight from Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor. Been there done that? lol.

[gabriul]

Look for bald spots, dying needles, pleasing conical shape and make sure it will fit under your ceiling. Make sure you buy a good tree stand. A bad one will make you hate Christmas forever. A tree blanket to catch all the needles that fall is also a must.

[TitoJ]

I think I'm starting to realize why my dad and grandpa just decorated the trees outside lol.

[slothinator]

sHeesh. This is sounding like advice straight from Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor. Been there done that? lol.

I'm descended from rednecks. The kind of people who get drunk, chainsaw a pine tree in a state park around midnight, black out, and then wake up wondering where in the hell this big tree came from.

[crazy7381]

go early while the pickins are good otherwise in about a week or two youll end up with the charlie brown tree. make sure you crank the holding pegs down put some water in the base to keep it fresh and use a tree skirt that extends farther out than the tree other wise youll be vaccuming up pine needles the rest of the year tricky buggers. After christmas recycle or toss it asap or it will start to decay and shed on the way out the door.

and maybe if your wife is sentimental about the tree being your first one clip a twig off and press it in a craft book then date it.

[johnyBgood]

Know how much room you have , and have an Idea where it will go..they look smaller outside at the lot than they will in your livingroom.

A good wide base uber tree stand worth every dime!

FEEL THE TREE"S NEEDLES..then know that you will spend atleast two hours intamately close with said tree..I recommend softer needles..think fir rather than pine..

keep away from direct heat..add an asprin to water to keep it greener longer..

before you put it into stand trim trunk to fit and to reopen capalaries to absorb water more easily..


some sort of cloth under to catch needles...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

[KingOfCheese]

A few extra things to consider:

Do you have children that will be touching the tree? If so, pick a tree with soft needles rather than sharp ones (avoid spuces--like the blue spruce--which looks great--but will create a blood bath).

Do you have pets (cats/dogs)? Is so, you might consider an artificial tree as some pets, particularly ones that are used to going to the bathroom outside get set off by the tree in the house and you'll end up with some surprises.

Don't skimp on tree stands. Get a heavy-duty one.

[TitoJ]

I'm descended from rednecks. The kind of people who get drunk, chainsaw a pine tree in a state park around midnight, black out, and then wake up wondering where in the hell this big tree came from.

lmao...I've never been to Alabama, but sure sounds fun.

[KingOfCheese]

Oh, one additional tip.

If the tree is going to go against a wall or in a corner, you don't need a classically perfect tree. In fact you may get a better "fit" in the house with a "defective"-shaped tree that has a lack of branches on one side. These trees will be less expensive and will fit your space well.

[dranreb]

My advice would be to go to a tree farm, instead of pre-cut trees. It's cheaper, you've got many thousands of trees from which to choose, it only takes 10 minutes to cut down, and you're done. Most of the better places will put your tree on a shaker to get rid of the loose needles and then run it through a bundler so the branches are tied nicely with twine. A little internet research will find you one quickly. This is a good site:

http://www.christmastreemap.com/farm/MI.html

I personally can vouch for C.F. Braun Farms in Ann Arbor. I have used them twice with excellent results.

If you insist on getting a pre-cut tree, or if that's your only choice, then just get one that looks pretty and seems healthy.

Enjoy!

Oh! Almost forgot. You need a tree stand too; something to hold the tree and the water. I got an el-cheapo plastic dish thingy with chains that hold the tree in place. It works like a charm. Some tree farms will sell these too.

[TitoJ]

Wow, lots of great advice here. I got a couple kids, and we've got a tree farm we were going to go to 5 minutes from our house.

Although I suspect in Michigan, tree farms are like bodies of water...you're never more than 5 minutes from one.

Thanks for all the input.

[Kindoki]

There's no correct answer, other than, buy one that makes you happy. However there are a number of pointers that you should consider.

First, this is a dead tree you are buying, with all the joys of decomposition that come with death. Needle loss and water loss are the two biggest factors in buying a 'live' tree. In this regard, the best thing you can do is to not skimp on the tree stand.

Secondly, the most popular Christmas tree right now is the Fraser Fir (Abies Fraseri). This is mostly what you'll find in Michigan, as the Michigan Christmas Tree Growers Association has invested heavily in this species (full disclosure: my undergrad research work at Michigan State University looked at the efficiency of fertilization techniques employed on Fraser Fir; and was partly funded by the MCTA).

So, in short. Find a tree that's been cut recently, or that you cut yourself. Water it faithfully. Everything else is personal preference.

Here's some links:

http://forestry.com/blog/what-to-loo...hristmas-tree/
http://www.mcta.org/
http://forestry.about.com/cs/christm...0_xmastree.htm

My suggestion: got to a farm, not a store; and make a night of it. I don't know where you are in the state, but there a number of nice farms associated with MSU, right in the EL area. Many do sleigh rides, donuts, campfires, etc. I'm sure there is any number of other farms around the state doing similar. The MCTA link above should help you find a place.

[TitoJ]

My suggestion: got to a farm, not a store; and make a night of it. I don't know where you are in the state, but there a number of nice farms associated with MSU, right in the EL area. Many do sleigh rides, donuts, campfires, etc. I'm sure there is any number of other farms around the state doing similar. The MCTA link above should help you find a place.

Further up between Caddilac and TC. There's a farm near TC that I always drive past that we were going to go to.

Thanks for the advice from a UofM fan

Not by school though, just got born into it.

[Pape_27]

So I've never bought a Christmas tree in my life. And now we're in a house, instead of an 800sq ft apartment. So my wife wants one now, and guess what? I never had a Christmas tree growing up, we had gifts sure, but my parents just never went out and got a tree. They did other decorating, but no tree.

So I need some pointers here. She wants to go out tonight to get it, and I have no idea what a 'good Christmas tree' looks like! They're freaking pine tree's right? or evergreens, or some ****. They're all over Michigan...they all look the same to me!

something like this would be good





















with a little bit of love, it will look like this; because all its takes for a christmas tree to bloom is love

[Lorz]

I'm descended from rednecks. The kind of people who get drunk, chainsaw a pine tree in a state park around midnight, black out, and then wake up wondering where in the hell this big tree came from.

Dad?

[Kindoki]

Thanks for the advice from a UofM fan

Glad to help. My wife's a UofM grad.... I'm constantly having to school her too... j/k. gl with your night!

[Lithic]

Step 1: get an artificial tree (they have really good looking ones now for like 50-100$)

Step 2: Set up in 5mins

Step 3: Thank your lucky stars you dont have to deal with squirrels, spider infestations, watering, falling needles, or tossing out an old dried up tree in february.


Done