The one thing you’ll need to make your log cabin feel like a log home this holiday season, is a good old-fashioned Christmas tree. The trouble is, like the pumpkins before them, Christmas trees have a limited window of optimal freshness. Pine needles fall off, branches dry out, and the whole thing starts turning orange if you let it sit too long.
That’s why we here at Tru Log’s Log Cabin Blog have put together this handy guide, to keep your log cabin in the holiday spirit from November 26th to New Year’s Eve!
First impressions are important
Depending on where you are this holiday season, it’s a good idea to do your due diligence before you settle on a tree. There’s a good chance that your local supermarket is importing the christmas trees from tree-farms across the country, where they’re kept fresh by nitrogen-filled refrigerated 18-wheelers. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, we here at Tru Log believe that–heck–since you’re looking for the log cabin life, you may as well go all the way!
Keep an eye out for local tree-farms that grow their own stock, either on the premises or nearby. There’s nothing like a freshly-cut Christmas tree to really get you in the holiday spirit! If the trees aren’t fresh-cut, then check the branches by gently running your fingers along the needles. If the needles flake off, or if the branches seem a little too brittle, then you may want to look for another tree–it may be that this one is already too old.
What to do when it gets home
You’ve heard it before: “Location, location, location.” When you bring your tree home, make sure you’ve got a space cleared in your cabin that is far away from heat sources and open flame (like your fireplace or woodstove.) It’s important, both for the life of the tree and the life of your cabin, that you minimize any fire danger.
Cover the floor with a tree skirt, and prep your tree-stand. Then, when you’re ready to mount the tree, use a handsaw to cut off approximately the last half-inch of the trunk, to improve the tree’s ability to take in water. A handsaw is important, as other saws might create enough friction to cook the wood, keeping it from being able to absorb any water at all!
A tree can go eight hours without water, for optimal tree-health. Make sure you get it in the tree-stand and drinking water before then, or you’ll seriously shorten your tree’s lifespan! Other tips we have, are check the tree-stand daily, make sure you mount it as close to straight as possible, and check for sap-leakage often (sap is near-impossible to get out of carpets and furniture.)
If you have any other questions about how to best live your log cabin life this holiday season, keep checking back to our Tru Log Log Cabin Blog! We’ll have log-cabin holiday information aplenty, whether you’re renting or owning. Merry Christmas!
