Ultimate Guide to Caring for Fresh Holiday Decorations

The holidays are all about warmth, joy, and beautiful decorations. Fresh wreaths, garlands, and trees bring a natural, vibrant touch to your home. However, keeping them fresh throughout the season can be a challenge. 

Choosing the Freshest Firs: Tips for Selection

Selecting the right tree, wreath, or garland sets the foundation for your holiday decorations. 

Understand Different Types of Firs 

• Fraser Fir: Known for its strong branches, excellent needle retention, and pleasant fragrance.
• Douglas Fir: Soft needles with a sweet scent. It has a full, bushy appearance.
• Balsam Fir: Famous for its deep green color and long-lasting needles.

Inspect for Freshness

• Color: Look for vibrant green needles. Avoid trees with a dull or grayish hue.

• Needle Retention: Gently run your hand along a branch. Fresh needles should stay intact and not easily fall off.

• Fragrance: A fresh tree will have a strong, pleasant scent. If it doesn’t smell, it may be too dry.

• Flexible Branches: Bend the branches. They should be flexible and not snap easily.

Cutting Your Own vs. Pre-Cut Options

• Cut Your Own: Offers maximum freshness. You can control when the tree is cut, ensuring it’s as fresh as possible.

• Tree Lots: Convenient but may have been cut weeks ago. Check for freshness before purchasing.

• Online: The most convenient option with delivery of fresh evergreens straight to your door. When you choose a trusted farm like Wishon Evergreens, you can trust that your tree will be fresh and beautiful. 

Source Locally

• Support Local Farms: Buying from local or family-owned farms ensures your tree hasn’t traveled far, keeping it fresher.
• Know Your Supplier: Understand the farm’s harvesting practices to ensure the tree’s quality.

Keeping Your Greenery Alive: Essential Care Tips

Once you’ve chosen the perfect greenery, proper care is important to keep it looking fresh throughout the holiday season.

Hydration

For Trees: 

•   Place the tree in water as soon as you bring it home. 
•   Ensure the base of the tree is always submerged. Refill the stand daily.

For Wreaths and Garlands: 

•   Soak them in water for a few hours before hanging them. 
•   Mist daily to keep them hydrated.

Ideal Placement 

• Avoid Heat Sources: Keep your trees, wreaths, and garlands away from fireplaces, radiators, and direct sunlight.
• Cool Room Temperature: Cooler rooms help slow down the drying process.
• Avoid Drafts: Place your decorations away from windows or doors that could create drafts, which dry out the greenery faster.

Humidity Control

• Use a Humidifier: If your home is dry, using a humidifier can help maintain moisture in your greenery.
• Regular Misting: Misting your wreaths and garlands daily can add moisture and keep them fresh.

Use of Preservatives

• Tree Preservatives: These can be added to the water in your tree stand to extend the tree's freshness.
• Sugar Water: A mixture of sugar and water can provide nutrients to the tree.
• Aspirin: Adding a crushed aspirin tablet to the water may help keep the tree hydrated.

Preventing Pesky Problems: Common Issues and Solutions

Despite your best efforts, sometimes issues arise. Here’s how to prevent and solve common problems.

Needle Drop

• Minimize Handling: Limit how much you touch the tree, wreaths, and garlands to reduce needle drop.
• Maintain Hydration: Keeping your greenery well-watered is the best way to prevent needles from falling.
• Anti-Desiccant Sprays: These sprays can be applied to the foliage to help reduce water loss and keep needles in place.

Pest Prevention

• Inspect: Before bringing your tree, wreaths, and garlands indoors, check for insects or nests.
• Insecticidal Spray: Apply a safe, plant-based insecticidal spray if you notice any pests.
• Keep Greenery Outdoors: Leave your greenery outside for a few days before bringing it inside to allow any hidden insects to vacate.

Fire Safety

• LED Lights: These generate less heat and reduce the risk of fire.
• Check for Dryness: Regularly inspect your tree and wreaths. If they’re dry and brittle, they may be a fire hazard.
• Keep Away from Hazards: Position your tree and other decorations away from open flames, such as candles and fireplaces.

Mold

• Monitor Humidity: High humidity levels can lead to mold growth. Keep your home’s humidity in check.
• Proper Ventilation: Ensure the room where you keep your tree and decorations is well-ventilated to prevent moisture buildup.
• Clean Regularly: Dust and clean around your decorations to reduce the risk of mold growth.

Creative Repurposing: Extending the Life of Your Decor

When the holiday season is over, don’t just toss your decorations. There are many creative ways to repurpose them.

DIY Projects:

• Potpourri: Use needles, small branches, and other parts of your greenery to make fragrant potpourri.
• Air Fresheners: Place dried needles in sachets and use them as natural air fresheners around your home.

Post-Holiday Uses:

• Mulch: Use your tree for mulch in your garden. This helps keep moisture in the soil and adds organic material.
• Bird Feeders: Turn your wreaths into bird feeders by adding seeds and hanging them in your yard.
• Compost: Break down your garlands and wreaths into small pieces and add them to your compost pile.

Safe Disposal: Environmentally Friendly Endings

Once the season is over and you’re ready to say goodbye to your holiday evergreens, consider these eco-friendly disposal options.

Local Recycling Programs:

Many communities offer tree recycling programs, where trees are turned into mulch for public parks or gardens. Check if your local program also accepts wreaths and garlands for composting or recycling.

Composting Your Greenery:

If you compost at home, you can break down your wreaths and garlands into smaller pieces and add them to your compost pile. Before composting, remove any wire, ribbons, or other non-organic materials from your greenery.

Educating Others:

Encourage friends and family to also choose sustainable practices for their holiday decorations. Get involved in or start a local initiative to promote recycling and repurposing holiday greenery.

Caring for your fresh holiday decorations doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By selecting the freshest firs, following essential care tips, addressing common issues, creatively repurposing your greenery, and disposing of them responsibly, you can enjoy the beauty of the season while minimizing waste and environmental impact. 

With a little effort, your holiday decor will remain vibrant and joyful throughout the season!