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While we know Jesus is the real reason for the season, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas trees. There’s nothing like that sweet smell wafting off the needles and drifting throughout your home, and of course, there’s something special about going to a tree farm and picking the best one to bring home. But what kind of tree should you look for? There are a few different species that are popular for use as Christmas trees, and you’ll probably find a mix of these types available at various tree farms in your area. Douglas FirThe Douglas Fir is one of the top Christmas trees sold in the United States, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. They have that quintessential pyramid shape, with their needles spreading out in all directions, so they look nice and full from every angle. The dark green needles make the perfect backdrop for colorful lights and ornaments, and are softer to the touch, so decorating is gentler on the fingers. Their sweet scent isn’t too overpowering but will still give your home that distinct Christmastime feel. The only downside to these trees is their tendency to drop their needles if underwatered. But if you take care of it properly, your Douglas Fir will stay green and vibrant well past the 25th. Fraser FirWhile the Douglas Fir is probably the most popular, the Fraser Fir is the one you see all the Christmas Candles labeled as. That’s because the Fraser Fir gives off that strong, classic Christmas scent as long as they’re in your home. In addition to smell, Fraser Firs offer soft, shorter needles that are more kid- and pet-friendly, and hearty, spaced-out branches that can handle heavier decorations and leave plenty of space in between for your favorite ornaments to take center stage. You won’t have to look for long to pick out the perfect Fraser Fir, since they grow in a near-perfect pyramid shape naturally. Colorado Blue SpruceThe Colorado Blue Spruce, as its name might suggest, is the state tree of Colorado. Blue Spruces are known for their stunning needles with distinct blue and silver tones that set them apart from other classic Christmas trees. Unfortunately, these beautiful needles can be a little sharp, so be sure to keep that in mind as you hang ornaments. Despite the potential hazard, many pet owners choose these Spruces, as the color and sharp points often deter curious noses. Colorado Blue Spruces grow in a nice pyramidal shape that still looks natural, with strong limbs for heavier decorations. They don’t give off the Christmas smell we all know and love, and some people actually dislike the scent the needles emit if bruised. Scotch Pine (Scots Pine)The Scotch Pine is a popular choice for those who prefer a low-maintenance tree. Where other trees will likely lose their needles as they dry out, the Scotch Pines handle drought like a pro, and won’t create a mess all over your floor just because its water bucket is empty. The catch here is that Scotch Pine needles are kind of sharp, which can be a pain while hanging ornaments. Scotch Pines are also usually sheared into the desired pyramid shape. This means that the ends of the branches you see are thicker than they would have been at their true ends, making them sturdier and more capable of bearing heavier decorations. But, this also means their branches will be a lot closer together, which can make it harder to string lights. Eastern Red CedarThe Eastern Red Cedar, despite its name, is actually a member of the Juniper family. Their soft, pliable “needles” are a popular choice for families with younger children, because they pose no risk for pricks. The needles grow in a feathery spread that gives the tree an overall full appearance, and the tree itself grows in an overall conical shape. As the needles and their branches are relatively pliable, they aren’t as weight-bearing as other Christmas tree choices. But many are happy to overlook this flaw thanks to the range of colors Eastern Red Cedars have to offer. Any given tree can offer any combination of dark green, bluish green, silvery, gray-green, bronze, and even purple leaves. Leyland CypressThe Leyland Cypress is especially popular in the southeast, and are just as likely to be found in public landscaping as they are in a home for Christmas. They have that natural pyramidal shape and the dark green leaves associated with classic Christmas trees, but their real appeal is how easy they are to grow in large numbers. Many “choose and cut” tree farms choose Leyland Cypresses because they require little maintenance, grow fairly quickly, and will reach respectable Christmas-tree-size without much input. While they don’t have a strong Christmas-y scent, Leyland Cypresses don’t shed many needles and don’t produce sap, making them a good choice for those with allergies. So there you have it: the 6 most popular Christmas trees. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a strong scent, needles that won’t litter your floor, or branches strong enough to handle the heaviest of ornaments. As you set up and decorate your trees and homes this holiday season, we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.
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For December’s Tree of the Month, we’re featuring the river birch, scientifically referred to as Betula nigra, also known colloquially as the water birch and the black birch. Like these names suggest, this beautiful tree naturally grows along river banks and other bodies of water, but can also be cultivated just about anywhere in the United States. Unlike other kinds of birches, which have more specific environmental needs, river birches are pretty tolerant of…well…everything. They’re indifferent to most soil types, can handle both drought and flood, and while they prefer around 4 hours of unfiltered sunlight per day (known as “partial shade” in the arboreal world), they do just fine with more or less. They do just as well in the hot southern states as they do the colder northern states, and are resistant to birch borers, a type of pest that commonly harms other birch species. This hardiness, along with a rapid growth rate and an excellence at preventing erosion, makes them great for landscaping. While maples and oaks are generally the most popular choice when it comes to public landscaping, the river birch has risen in the ranks in the last decade or so. Did You Know?River birch bark (and the bark of most birch species) has been used as paper for centuries. The oldest use of birch bark as paper is thought to be a collection of Buddhist texts from the 1st century CE! Young river birches will grow around 13 to 24 inches in a year, until they reach maturity, at which point their growth rate will stall. On average, mature river birches will top out at heights of 40 to 70 feet, with a crown stretching out 40 to 60 feet. This impressive spread is thanks to the multiple trunks of the river birch’s natural growth pattern. With multiple trunks allowed to grow freely, the river birch will have a rather irregular crown shape. In urban settings, however, these multiple trunks are pruned back to a single trunk, encouraging the tree to grow taller rather than wider. River birches that have been pruned this way will end up with a more pyramidal shape. In the wild, river birches are a long-lived tree, often seeing over 100 to 150 healthy years. Urban-cultivated river birches, on the other hand, rarely make it past 40. It’s not known why exactly domesticated river birches don’t live as long, but we do know that river birches naturally prefer to grow along bodies of water. River birches grown in a neighborhood or public park don’t have nearly the same access to water, which is what many arboriculturists attribute to discrepancy to. River birches are probably most well-known for the same reason all birches are liked: their papery, peeling bark pattern, and their stunning yellow leaves in the fall. River birch bark is usually darker than other birch species (hence the alternative name of “black birch”), with less white and grey tones and more brown and reddish tones. .The outer bark of young river birches can even be nearly pinkish in hue, while the inner bark is most often a darker, cinnamon-like color. More mature river birch trees will display darker brown bark that grows in ridged scales that lie close together rather than peeling away. The leaves of the river birch are around 2 to 3 inches long, and have the classic, rounded leaf shape. They grow in alternate pairs up and down a single stem, and are ridged along the edges. New leaves are bright green in color with a glossy finish, and will fade to a more muted green over time. But what really makes river birch leaves (and all birch tree leaves in general) stand out is their fall display. As other tree leaves begin brown, sometimes turning a little red or orange before they fall, river birch leaves transition to a bright, almost startling yellow for the autumn season. This color is made even more stunning against the backdrop of their mottled bark. Along with their yellow leaves, river birches will grow small male flowers in the fall. They won’t bloom, however, until the spring, when the small female flowers grow. Both flowers are a type of catkin, and will range from warm brown to dull green in color. Male river birch catkins are long and skinny, while female catkins are more cone-like. After the female flowers mature (somewhere in May or June), river birches will yield tiny little winged nutlets that are popular amongst local wildlife. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. December is here, which means Christmas is right around the corner! It’s about time to start setting up those Christmas trees (although, if you’re anything like us, you’ve had yours up for an amount of time you probably aren’t willing to admit to!). But besides being a decorative addition to the holiday season, and providing some delightful cover for those painstakingly-wrapped gifts, why exactly do we hack up an evergreen and put it in our home to garnish and light up? The history of the Christmas tree dates back beyond the night when our Savior resided in a humble manger. In fact, the first documented case of anything similar to what we now know as the Christmas tree belongs to the Egyptians. Every year, when the coldest months seemed to suck the life out of their world, ancient Egyptians would bring a little reminder of summer into their homes as a reminder that times would be good again. Similar traditions can be found in the early timelines of Rome, Scandinavia, and the Celtic nations. But the true predecessor to our festive friends lies with the Germans. In 1521, a painting was made in Germany of a tree being paraded through the streets by a man on horseback, dressed as a bishop. Some believe the man to be a representation of St. Nick, though little is actually known about the origin of the painting. But, thanks to some writings from later in the 1500s, we do know that the painting depicts a celebration in which an evergreen tree, decorated with nuts, apples, pretzels, and paper flowers, would be paraded through the town before ending up in the market square, where people would dance and sing around it. Sounds pretty Christmas-y, right? Except for the part where they’d burn the tree at the end of the party, that is! In fact, it’s likely that this painting is actually showing a “Tree of Paradise,” which was a medieval tradition that celebrated Adam and Eve on December 24th. So, not quite Christmas, but definitely on the right track. How this “Tree of Paradise” evolved from a celebration of the first humans to a celebration of the birth of Christ, it’s not known. The Germans have their own legend: “Once on a cold Christmas Eve night, a forester and his family were in their cottage gathered round the fire to keep warm. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. When the forester opened the door, he found a poor little boy standing on the door step, lost and alone. The forester welcomed him into his house and the family fed and washed him and put him to bed in the youngest son’s own bed (he had to share with his brother that night!). The next morning, Christmas Morning, the family were woken up by a choir of angels, and the poor little boy had turned into Jesus, the Christ Child. The Christ Child went into the front garden of the cottage and broke a branch off a Fir tree and gave it to the family as a present to say thank you for looking after him. So ever since them, people have remembered that night by bringing a Christmas Tree into their homes!” Another German legend (one that’s actually widely accepted amongst historians), claims that Martin Luther (yes, that Martin Luther!) was the first to put lights on the Christmas Tree. According to the legend, Martin Luther was walking home on a cold winter evening after having composed a sermon. He looked upon the brilliant stars twinkling amongst the treetops and was so inspired, he ran home and managed to rig some candles along his family’s own Christmas tree with some wire, so he could share the beautiful sight he’d seen with his loved ones. Supposedly, this is the story of how lights were first added to the Christmas tree. So while we might not know when bringing trees into the home first happened, but we do know that, sometime before 1546 (when Martin Luther died), most Germans homes wouldn’t see a Christmas without one. Whether or not either of those stories are true, history does credit Germany with the advent of both the Christmas tree tradition as we know it today (along with the addition of lights). Germany’s Christmas trees didn’t make their way over to America until the late 1700s, when German settlers brought the tradition with them to the New Land. But, due to some pre-existing Pagan practices and the negative view of Pagans in general, they didn’t actually catch on until the 1840s. Did You Know?The Christmas tree in Queen Victoria’s portrait is likely only around 5 feet high (if you look closely, you can see it sitting on some kind of platform). In fact, most Christmas trees in Europe averaged around 4 to 5 feet in height, depending on what the family could afford. But for some reason (potentially due to the Pagan influence), Americans liked their trees to reach floor to ceiling! In 1846, Queen Victoria of England stood for a portrait alongside a decorated Christmas tree with Prince Albert and their children. Though the previous ruling family also reportedly had their own Christmas tree set up, Victoria was popular with the people, and this portrait (with its widespread publication) sparked a new trend. Suddenly, everyone in the country had to have their own tree for Christmas. With the whole of England obsessing over these new Christmas decorations, and the German precedent already relatively well-known, the practice quickly became all the rage in America. Most trees were brought in alive, roots intact, and kept in pots, though by the 1860s, metal tree holders were available for cut trees. Potted and cut trees would usually be adorned with nativity scenes around the base to disguise what was otherwise an unsightly support system to keep the tree upright. Christmas tree holders soon became polarized, with the options limited to expensive models that were pretty to look at but impossible to afford for the average family, or cheap, flimsy models that only lasted one year and looked ghastly. This led to families covering their metal holders with carpets in addition to decorating with a nativity scene, and these carpets are where we get the Christmas tree skirt from! Early American Christmas trees were decorated with everything from homemade cloth ornaments to strings of berries and pastries. But, by the 1890s, ornaments specifically designed to decorate Christmas trees began arriving from Germany, and by the early 1900s, plenty of American companies began producing and selling their own specialty Christmas ornaments. The next 100 years would see the incorporation of things like tinsel, popcorn, and electric lights into tree decoration, leading us all the way up to the 21t century, where Christmas trees are just as likely to be synthetic as they are real, ornaments are sold by most stores and are a popular souvenir, and Christmas lights are all but a given. Most Christmas trees are topped with an angel, meant to represent the angel announcing Christ’s birth to the shepherds, or a star, meant to represent the star that shone above the stable as a guide to Jesus. No matter how you choose to decorate your Christmas tree (or even if you don’t have a tree at all!), we hope this Christmas season brings you joy, happiness, family, friends, blessings, and peace as we remember the reason for the season: our Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. AuthorEmily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has over half a decade of experience in copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, and developmental storyboarding. She's worked with both published and undiscovered authors on both fiction and nonfiction, and takes pride in supporting local businesses. Her passion lies in the written word and helping authors of all capacities realize their dreams and achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio. |
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January 2023
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23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24