With Thanksgiving falling as early on the calendar as it can, the longest possible Christmas season means people who have real Christmas trees will have to try that much harder to keep them from drying out before the holiday.
“Our main thing is to make sure we keep the bowl full of water,” Carmen Tilton, who bought her tree today, said about the bowl on her Christmas tree stand.
Operator of Corpus Christi’s West Valley Christmas Tree Stand, Don Crandall, agrees with her. But he takes it a step further.
“When it comes to the care of trees, you want to make sure you’re putting water and preservative in the water,” Crandall said. “They should last you at least until the beginning of the year.
Crandall gives away the preservative he speaks of for free at his business along South Padre Island Drive. He says business is already booming even though December is only beginning. Crandall has several other tips for keeping your tree fresh during this long Christmas season.
“When you buy your tree make sure you have a fresh cut put on it,” Crandall said. “Typically that involves cutting off about half an inch of the trunk, and that way the tree can uptake water.
“When it comes to taking care of your tree, don’t put it near a space heater and don’t stand it up near any heating vents,” he added. “Those tend to dry a tree out a little bit faster.”
