We are going to be out of town on Christmas so I am really scaling down my decorating. We normally have a real tree but I don’t think that makes sense this year. Of course, my daughter made it clear that she wants to see some sort of real tree with lights on it when she comes home from school. She loves to sit in the family room and enjoy the tree, and honestly so do I but I’m afraid we will go away and come home to a pile of needles on the floor.
I looked for a tree in dirt and only one place around us had them and they were very expensive. I suggested a fake tree and she didn’t want one. What do other people do?? Any great ideas? This will be our first Christmas away and I’m trying to maintain a few traditions.
How about getting a tree, having it up while your daughter is at home, and then taking it down before you depart for Christmas?
I say this as a person who would not get a tree only for myself but have gone myself to buy one (not cut it down!) and wrestled it out of the car, into the house, and into the tree stand, solely for my adult daughter’s sake. I haven’t spent more than $35 or $40 on the tree. I don’t really care how pretty it is; sad trees are okay; they need homes, too.
Our Kroger has those small “live” trees (not in a dirt ball but small) that are maybe 2-3 feet tall for either 19.99 or 29.99. Put some lights and a few decorations, set it on a table top in the family room and then make sure you unplug before you leave. The pile of needles will be small and you can haul it out in one hand.
Get a smallish, cheap tree and if you can’t take it down before you leave, just put newspapers/trash bags underneath to catch most of the needles, and to make clean up much easier, when you get back.
But I would suggest you make the effort to get a tree; your daughter will appreciate the effort, and let’s face it: they’re only EXCITED about Christmas for so long…
Please do not leave a balled-and-burlapped (this is what it is officially called) nursery tree unattended indoors for several days. It will die if not watered properly and if kept indoors for too long, and can’t be planted. Use a cut tree - they can be placed in a stand that has a basin where you could pour some water. It will last just fine for a few days you are going to be gone.
When we were first married we were going to my parents for Christmas and didn’t have a tree of any sort. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and we dragged over our potted palm to the “spot” and threw lights on it.
I still remember that fondly.
When I was younger…I had a cute Norfolk Island Pine. It was potted…and could hold a few very small ornaments…and a very very small string of very very small lights. It was a pretty hearty little thing. IIRC, I HS it for a few christmases. Got it at a nursery. Potted.
Ikea used to sell fabric with the picture of a life-like xmas tree on it. (They may still do so). I hang it on a curtain rod, with mini battery operated lights and small decorations safety pinned on. Instant Xmas decoration!
I was going to suggest what @gearmom said. We’ve done that before with great success. If you don’t want a wreath, get a small piece for a table or mantle that’s real so you get that Christmas smell - then dispose of it as you’re walking out the door to your vacation.
I wouldn’t get a real tree because I would be stressed the entire time I was away that it would catch fire (even if I gave it lots of water beforehand) but that’s me.
“News just had a video showing how fast a dry Christmas tree goes up in flames. The watered tree was more smoke than fire.”
Human hair can go up in flames even faster, but somehow, our heads do not catch on flames if there is no source of fire nearby. Just unplug all lights to make sure there is not a short and leave the tree up. It will be no worse than that pile of junk mail on the kitchen counter.
Goodness we buy our tree a week or two before Christmas and keep it until at least January 6. A tree is not going to burst into flames spontaneously. Make sure it’s not near a heating source, unplug the lights. I recommend a tree skirt to contain any needle mess. Our trees are always quite dry by the time we take them down and there’s usually a pile of needles between the living room and the door. It’s not that hard to sweep and/or vacuum up.
We have decorated a houseplant–used the battery lights and decorated with little lightweight ornaments.
It is on a stool and so is about 5 feet tall.
It is ok–not great–but it does give that holiday feel. I did put out a minimum amount of
decorations. Again, not the same but does the trick.