The excitement of the holidays builds a little earlier each year but, while the thrill is in the air, there are a few decorating realities to consider before dressing every inch of your home in holiday splendor.
Everything has its time, and this is especially true of winter greens and Christmas trees. These stems/trees will start to dry as soon as they are cut, so it’s critical to keep them as cool and hydrated as possible. Outdoor décor has a better chance of lasting longer because of the cool, damp weather we traditionally have, but they still need some help from us. Our homes are especially warm and dry over late fall/winter as well, so the lifespan of greens indoors is even shorter, even if we do all we can to keep them fresh and watered.
To avoid disappointment, and to keep your décor looking and smelling its best, try using the following timeline to guide your decorating plans.
Flocked Trees (Indoors): 4-6 weeks. Yes they last a long time, but within reason. While they do not need water if they are in the house for a shorter period, if you plan to have them up for long time, use water bowls (as you would with green trees) to try and extend their life. When decorating, use as many light-weight decorations as possible, keeping larger, heavier ornaments lower down on the tree and inset so they are on a stronger part of the branch. Gravity always wins, however, and branches will inevitably sag as the weeks pass.
Winter Greens Porch Pots (Outdoors): 4-6 weeks. Keep them cool and hydrated! Whether you are adding stems to a soil-filled pot or using an Oasis-base, keep adding water as needed and do not let them dry out. Should your pots be under cover, mist them regularly (remember to pull any fabric décor/bows out beforehand then set them back after).
Cedar Garland (Outdoors): 4-6 weeks. Keep garland cool (if using lights, try to use LEDs instead of incandescents to keep heat levels down), and hydrated. Mist them, or even bring out the hose if you need to.
Green Christmas Trees (Indoors): 2-3 weeks. Resist the urge to put green trees up early. As soon as your tree stops drinking you won’t be able to get it going again and it will desiccate quickly. Keep your tree as cool as possible (away from heat vents and the fireplace if you can), and do not let the water bowl dip below the trunk of the tree. LED lights aren’t just good for electricity consumption, they’re cooler than incandescent lights so they’ll keep heat off of branches (helping to prevent potential fire issues too).
Winter Greens Arrangements (Indoors): 5-7 days. Extend their life by keeping them watered and misted regularly, but here’s the trick… when you don’t need them in your home for entertaining, set them in a sheltered, covered location outside, and then just bring them back in when you need them. By doing this you can extend your greens arrangement's lifespan by quite a bit. You can add fresh flowers at any time, but if the flowers fade before the greens do, just swap the blooms out with new ones as you need to!
Cedar Garland (Indoors): 5-7 days. Yes, Pinterest Christmas home photos are divine, but if you want to drape your bannister or mantle with fresh garland it should only be for a few days. Our homes are warm and dry, and dragging a hose into your living room might not be feasible. Keep garlands as cool as you can and mist if possible (remember, all the décor set in your garland will inevitably get wet too).
Living Christmas Trees (Indoors): 5-7 days. These are outdoor trees that would prefer to be outdoors, so when we bring them into our homes it is a shock to their system. They will only last a maximum of seven days inside, and only if the stay in a cool spot and remain fully hydrated. You have to keep them watered, and, in addition, you can place ice cubes on top of the soil to help keep roots cool and wet. Trees must be acclimatized coming into your home, and again when moving back outdoors. As soon as they are acclimatized outside after Christmas they should be planted in good, well-drained soil and watered well.
As much as it’s exciting to decorate for the holidays in one go, by rolling out your greens décor over time you’re spreading that joy a little longer, and ensuring that their lush, fragrant benefits can be enjoyed to their fullest!
