How to build a Really BIG Christmas Tree

This was taken the third and last full day of our stay after a busy morning for the HH staff working on the tree. Decorating is proceeding.

I don't think they decorated all the way around the tree yet. Looks like they were working on the most visible side first.

Boss, we're going to need more ornaments!

The guy placed the last couple of ornaments on the tree and called it a day.

This was our last view of their Christmas Tree before we checked out of the HH the next day.
I do hope you've enjoyed seeing the tree being constructed and decorated. It was a novel experience for me. Which means I kicked back and read a novel while watching the activity and taking photos every so often. LOL. Still hurts. Laugh some more for me!
Seriously, it was educational as well.
Now if only I can get a 50 foot tall light tree! Naw, with our winds, prolly not wise.
I think I will stick to lighting up a couple of the CA Live Oaks.
WIB!
SW

Very interesting, SW. I've often wondered where the find so many well shaped huge trees...now I know .....they don't.
Carol

OCCAROL,
You can, but you can't afford the shipping unless you are rich. Extremely expensive the taller the tree, the more it costs to ship. Then there is breakage.
These "made trees" are interesting, but so toxic to produce in the first place.
According to statistics from the National Tree Growers Association, something like 50 percent of people prefer artificial trees over the real tree. They usually keep the artificial tree for average of 5 years before replacing.
They don't degrade in landfills. They are made from plastic coated metal or metal, and chances are were made in China where they don't care about the environment.
I know a lot of people are resistent to cutting down a living tree, but on tree farms like ours, every tree that is harvested, is replanted, and we also plant more trees in new sections each year. It is a good thing for environment in lots of ways. Oxygen, habitat, totally recyclable, so as I see it, it's a better way to go than artificial trees. Some people are allergic to trees, which is sad, and I understand why they have artificial trees. Some people are afraid of fire hazards. Poor trees get the bad reputation when it is really an electrical problem that usually starts Christmas Tree fires in the home.
As long as the fresh cut tree is given plenty of water to drink, it won't catch fire easily, especially if the dead needles inside the tree are removed prior to bringing in the house. (We shake 'em off before they leave the farm.) A fresh cut tree can drink up to a quart of water a day easily. Once a tree is cut a seal of sap forms, and if you are going to be more than 15 to 20 minutes away from installing tree in water bowl, you need to make a fresh cut, at least 1/2 inch further up on the trunk so it can drink.
BTW, in nature there is no "Perfectly shaped tree" either. One side always has sparser growth. Only the Creator is perfect.
Let me stumble off my soapbox.
WIB,
SW

enjoyed your photoessay SW. That's quite a tree. We are one of those unfortunate families where there is an allergy to greenery but we kept our first tree for 30 years before it began falling apart. I didn't realize that the amount of people with artificial trees was so high. I sure would have a real one if I could.

doss,
I personally think if you plant any tree you are a wonderful person.
It's a choice Artificial Vs. Real Tree, and I know a lot of people make the choice for Artificial for valid reasons.
I personally am allergic to the Monterrey Pines, but I always prefer to take a tree that has already been cut anyway, so I get a Noble, I don't even mind Charlie Brown Trees. BTW, It's an allergy I developed after handling them pines for so many years, but I'm not allergic to fir trees.
My niece Aubrey was allergic to all of them and so they had to have an Artificial Tree. Some of them are kept for years, because for many people the expense is worth it, and they don't loose or break the pieces. I am okay with whatever you choose.
We mostly decided to grow Christmas Trees because it was the best way we could find to keep the family farm and still pay it's taxes. Patience is required though
It's a sustainable type of urban forestry. If you check out the statistics, for every tree harvested on a tree farm, at least 2 more are planted in it's place.
We are still a Mom & Pop Shop that is changing into a Pop and Sons enterprise. Family owned and operated. We plan on keeping the farm growing trees. We plan on keeping it small too. I think that people like going someplace that they can hear the birds singing instead of piped in Christmas Cheer. They can hear each other talk, and we try not to bother them, as they make their choice.
It's an awesome thing to give people a place for them to make happy memories.
Just trying to hang on to the families American Dream. We didn't want to sell the land and we sure didn't want to plant houses on it. Yuch!
Don't worry, people are not giving up on their Real Tree this year, and I'm not looking for extra business either, believe me, I don't get to see much of DH this time of year, or my kids.
Respectfully,
Walk In Beauty!
SingingWolf

SW - how wonderful that you are able to make a living in such a wonderful way. I can hear the birds singing from here! And the wonderful scent of the trees too. ahhhh....
:-)

S.W. What kind of trees do you grow for Christmas?

Sylvia

Sylvia,
Monterrey Pines.

Should have mentioned that you should get a tree that has been in a water bowl if you buy what is known as a pre-cut Fir tree. Even we don't know when they were harvested. They may have been on a truck for 24 hours or more. You just don't know.
When we get them off the truck we take a fresh slice off the trunk, and then drill a hole in the trunk to hold it on the spike in the middle of the water bowl. They are usually still "baled" so someone gets to unwrap the string that is compressing them and fluff them out, we try to shake off loose needles then too, but always do when the tree is sold.
We locate those pre-cut Firs under the oaks and next to the creek where the temps are the lowest, and the humidity the highest. They seem happiest there, and I love the way it smells. Sometimes we've actually had to rope them to the light posts to keep them from being blown over in the wind. We try really hard to provide the freshest tree possible to our customers.
You know you've got a good tree when it looks happy, and in it's water bowl. Not on a wooden stand, or leaning against a fence.
When you rub your hand down the foliage and no more than five needles come off, that a sign of a fresh tree, but most won't come off even if you tug a little. (Some of those may have been from other trees given how they are transported via truck.) Don't forget the fragrance. Should be a rich fragrance, not faded. If the fragrance starts to fade once you get your tree home, you can take your clippers and clip off a couple of small pieces to bring it back.
I'm full of CT trivia. BTW, all they need to drink is lots of plain old tap water. They did tests (Nat'l Christmas Tree Growers Assoc. I think), which tried every additive you can think of and the trees were happiest with tap water. So I quit selling the additives. Can't in good conscience sell something that has no real benefit except to our pocket book. Also keep them out of direct sunlight in the home, and out of the way of heat sources, etc. They will dry out fast, unless you are diligent about giving them water.
Got questions? I might actually have the answer. LOL!
Should take photos, but still am housebound. Will when I can.
WIB,
SW

Love this thread Jules. Thanks for letting us "see" how it was put together!

I did mention that I'm easily amused? That my father and a brother are engineers? I have the curiosity of a cat, just not the balance? LOL!
I enjoy assembly required projects?
I'm glad you are enjoying the pictoral, and once again I apologize for getting on my soap box.
Good to hear from you Marie. I've been missing you!
WIB!
SW

For the first time in years, I just sat down and watched the version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", by Dr. Seuss.
I grew up with this show, and remember looking forward to watching it every year. I used to be able to recite the words and sing along with the whole show, (well mostly). The thing is, I remember why I like this Christmas show most of all of them.
It was because even with nothing left of their Christmas, the Who's down in Whoville, gave thanks and sang together while holding hands for being together.
The power of their song and the message the story sends have always had a powerful impact on me. It still brings out the child in me like nothing else.
It shows me that the power of people singing in a circle, holding hands as part of a community, has the power to change people's hearts, and minds. That the true meaning of Christmas isn't found in things, but in those we love and spend time with.
I have also worked and missed the show before, even if I wasn't working the trees there was always some chore around the place that needed doing. I've missed this. I don't think I've sat down and seen it all the way through since the boys were younger. They perfer the Jim Carrey Version. : - )
Just nostalgia talking I guess.
I do hope that I get to watch this show with my Grandkids, someday.
I hope that everyone has a great Holiday Season. : - )
What traditions do you all celebrate in your neck of CA? Or where ever you originally hail from?
I really do want to know.
Thanks!
WIB!
SW

Cool thread! My mom, the interior designer, used to buy a real tree and extra branches. She would then drill holes and stick them in and wire them until it WAS perfect, and (BTW) there was no room to hang ornaments. Her trees were just gorgeous, but almost as much work as this one was!

DH and I get a Noble every year from our local farm. They don't grow them, but so fresh from the grower Oregon they last for weeks with proper watering. Good thing, too, because DH now LOOOOVES to decorate for Christmas. He's been at it for the past 2 days. Haven't got our tree yet, but it'll be up by this weekend.

I used to love decorating too. Now I can't reach the decorations. : - (
Sounds like your DH is a Big Kid around Christmas Time. That kind of joy is infectious, please send us some photos. Might even inspire me into bribing one of the kids to climb a ladder for me.
I hear that the kids down at the Tree Farm gate, are busy as elves putting lights up on the big oak tree by the gate. : - )
They are a good bunch. They always look forward to the Tree Lighting Ceremony. I'm not sure if it's because of the goodies (refreshments) or because they've been with us so many years now, that it is part of their family tradition.
Now I have to trim my Rosemary, Holly bushes so my wreath lady, can make me some pretty wreaths for our customers. I trained her myself, and she does good solid work. No complaints, even if they cost more than the ones from HD or other places. We don't decorate them, but sell them as blanks. We could custom decorate, but most people like doing that themselves.
This year for the first time I will be trimming my own incense cedar, rosemary and Holly to go with the noble greens to make wreaths.
The incense cedar is still too small to take too much away from, so it'll only go on my wreath. I do love the combo of cedar and noble fir, it's both pretty and fragrant. Smells like Christmas.
Wreath making is pretty easy and anyone can do it with a few pieces of wire and some greens. I once improvised (way back when we first moved out here and there was nothing for miles around) one out of a metal clothes hanger and a sting of lights. Wound those lights around and around and around until the full circle had been made. First and only time I ever did that. It was pretty, but it took forever. I didn't have kids yet. So I had the time.
Now, I don't want people to know where we live, at this time of year. Although, I might go ahead and decorate the Incense Cedar tree with my blue lights. I also was given(?) a spiral light tree I might set up for my friend to see out her window too. Depends on whether I have enough extension cords and the power to run them.
What kind of decorations does your DH like to put up ima? I think we are talking about outside decorations, right?
What about the rest of you folks? What do you have going up for the Holidays?
WIB,
SW

You name it, he puts it up. I've made a lot of ceramic Christmas decorations over the years, and there's the garlands on the stairs with lights intertwined, and the garlands around the walls, and the big ornaments that hang from our high ceiling, and the nativity figurines, and the paper chain that DS made when he was about 4, and the beer-bottle reindeer he made at about 6 and the paper hanging Santa mobile he made at about 7.....the list goes on. And of course that's all before the tree goes up. Did I mention the Santa train that goes around the entire living room? It also does several hours at our Rebekah Children's Home holiday party every year. He modified a wooden sleigh from Marshalls, put LEDs on it, and added train wheels. Santa's accompanied by a flatcar of lazy wooden reindeer.

He's working on having a different small Santa & his reindeer fly across the room again this year. He did it a couple of years ago. One of the neighbor kids came in and was just open-mouthed and hollering "He FLIES, Santa FLIES!!!" Exactly the reaction DH was hoping for....LOL! Sadly, a couple of days after Christmas, Santa had an accident. Last year he was stationary again, and DH wasn't happy. So he's re-engineered the whole contraption.

Yeah, pictures---maybe I can do it justice with pictures. I doubt it, but I'll give it a shot! Oh, and he decorates outside, too.......just lights, wreaths, a spiral tree and a lighted banner, though. Pretty low-key....LOL!

Usually I'm sick when all of this is going on, and the years I'm not (like this year---so far, knock wood) I'm utterly useless because he has this all down to a finely-tuned system. He's carved out a whole Christmas storage space in the attic so he has an organized place to put everything so it comes out of storage in proper order for putting it up. That was a major accomplishment that took a couple of years!

Dang~
Keep him, ima, he obviously takes down the lights before Father's Day. All of that indoors? Incredible! What fun for you.
I have to do the decorating alone and it makes me sad.
When we were kids, we all worked together to dress the tree. EB#1 got to bring it in. No water bowls then, so he had to make sure the wooden cross pieces were stable.
EB#2 and I always did the lights. I was the only one with the patience to untangle them. EB#2 tested them and changed out the bulbs. He did the top part and I did the bottom.
All of us took turns with putting on the ornaments.
Sis, tried to make it fun and we sang Christmas Carols while decorating. I wonder if she remembers making us carol? I should ask.
Usually one of my EB's would hoist my YB#1 up on his shoulders to put the star at the top.
I feel happy if I get the little people village on top of the entertainment center and the wreath on the door.
Last year no one would help me get my stuff down from storage, so I just had a blue Christmas, with a blue star at the top of the tree and blue lights that I went out and bought. It was pretty though.
Try for those photos!
What about the rest of you guys?
WIB!
SW

How wonderful you got to watch that whole tree building process. The builder in me has to say though, they could have found a better match than the top piece they put on. Rocket shape was an good description. LOL I would have been fascinated by whole procedure too. Really enjoyed the pictures.

We had real trees until last year, we like a big tree and the real ones are getting too hard for me to handle. I do expect to use our artificial one for a long time though. We really enjoy our decorations. It's so dark when we take them down.

I like mine (decorations) too. I really missed them last year.
As you say, Sally it was fascinating to watch them build the tree. I didn't know how else to describe it's shape, but rocket seemed to fit best. None of ours look like that. That's why DH and I debated the top and decided they'd just stuck a large artificial tree at the top. They may have had height restrictions. Doesn't really matter except if you know they aren't shaped like that.
I'm sure you'll take great care of your artificial tree. It is easier to use artificial trees sometimes. Just go by a tree lot or farm and ask for some greens (they are usually happy to give you smaller pieces for free), so you can get that great Christmas smell. Thanks for sharing with us Sally!
I have heard the elves are still working hard to get the Big Oak by the gate Lighted up for this year.
: - )
I dropped off the greens I grew, and can't wait to see what Denise Sr. does with 'em. Will take photos!
WIB!
SW

O.K. SW. We bought a little tree (3ft) cause DH liked it. Haven't looked it up yet, but it's a Norfolk pine. Pretty little one. It's supposed to get down to 16 tonight and in the teens for the next two nights. Way too cold for this area, lucky us we're breaking all kinds of records. Some of them 100 yrs old. I don't like it this cold.

Sally,
Weatherman said it was going to get down to 28 degrees here tonight. Done everything I can and some things I shouldn't have. Critters and plants are tucked in for the night. Kids are on their own.
Stay warm.
Norfolks are nice trees. Three foot sounds good to me. Is it a potted tree? Don't forget to water it (not matter what!), and if in a pot, you need to gradually get it used to the outdoors again. You know what I mean even if my brain is too cold to work.
I always have to rearrange the house to find a place to put the tree DH brings home. : - )
You know someone actually asked me if we'd net their kid the other day. I just pointed to the sign.
The things we do!
Stay warm!
WIB!
SW

That sign is PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!

I wish I could claim credit for it, but I stole the idea from another CA Tree Grower. We usually get asked once or twice a year. We tell them we charge more for kids, because they wiggle. I think we may have actually netted one of the kids once, but we didn't tie off the ends. It was probably one of mine too!
It's good for a giggle.
WIB!
SW

I think I would charge more!! I don't hold out much hope for my outdoor plants. This makes the 4th night in the teens, got down to 10 last night. This is way colder than we normally are and it's lasted way to long. My cymbidiums and my plummie are settled in the bath tub for winter, so they're o.k. and I have a few pots in the garage. Thanks for the advice about the tree, what I read said they're house plants here. DH wouldn't have wanted it if he had known that and it didn't say anything on the tag. It's pretty and he wanted it! I think they mostly sell them for Christmas decoration and don't intend for people to actually grow them. I'll give it a try, need to do some more research before I repot it. I'll check with my PNW friends too. It would have died the last couple of nights for sure if I had left it out on the deck.

I am completely tired of this cold. Want our normal 40's back. Supposed to warm up by the weekend but we'll have to go through freezing rain first. Yuk!!

Maybe you can turn it into a Bonsai Tree, Sally. I'm sorry it's so cold up there. Brrr! Just thinking about it. I'm a basket case if it's only 50 degrees.
I planned on putting my orchids in the unuseable bathtub we have (too big, hot water heater too small). The orchids are out in the gh, double wrapped, for now. Down to 38 degrees in there last couple of nights.
But other than going grocery shopping, I'm going to be out in the gh all day, tomorrow. At least I don't feel the wind, and the hummers come by for a sip and visit. Trying to bring some order into this chaos. Maybe it's just the season.
Freezing rain, is that sleet or snow, or just wet and really cold? LOL! I'm sorry, I have a bizarre sense of humor that comes out sometimes. I'm tired of being cold too.
Be careful, and stay warm.
This pretty young pup went inside that sweat shirt right after I took this photo. But isn't she cute. Now I don't know about the girl wearing the sweat shirt. Her leg looks kind of cold. Sweet girl, and very nice of her to let me get a photo of Santa's little 4 legged helper! : - )
WIB,
SW

Such a cute little dress!! Perfect for that dog. I live in a college town and all the kids up here are just barely dressed for the cold. But even they have had to cover up this last week. They're still saying this will break by Friday night, I'm so tired of being cold. I have a problem with my hands and they hurt everytime I get cold. Have to use Hotties pads if I need to be out any length of time, really glad I found those. Buy them by the box at Costco. 17 is the low for tonight, up from 10 at least.

You have my sympathy. Hands fumble, brain doesn't work, shiver uncontrollably and it's only 43 degrees right now. I don't do cold well.
The guys who wear shorts and thongs I don't understand. What are they from Alaska or Minnesota?
I'd rather be warm than look cute. If I had my druthers.
Stay warm, Sally!
~Hugs to help~
WIB,
SW

In Colorado when I was young and it was 40 degrees, I was running around campus outside without a coat. Now that I'm in my geezerhood and it's 40 outside, I'm frozen----even in the 68-degree house wearing fuzzy slippers and a hoodie! Why is that, I wonder???

It has to do with metabolic changes after we hit menopause. My Gma was always hot, until she got over the hot flashes with menopause. Then she was always cold. I suspect it also has to do with blood circulation.
In my case, I don't have any body fat, which does help insulate a person from the cold.
I used to love the cold, but I'm cold and wearing longjohns in addition to my other layers of clothing.
Brrr!
Supposed to warm up soon, and then I can go take a photo of the cutest little flocked tree. LOL!
Stay warm and dry ima.
WIB!
SW