There are universal traditions of Christmas and customs that are generally honored - such as christmas tree. There are others, no less important, that have grown up through the years in individual homes and families. These traditions and customs may determine when the tree is to be set up and decorated, who is to do it, and how it is to be done. The suggestions in this chapter are made in the hope of increasing these joyous time-honored, family traditions.

The more technical details of selecting a Christmas tree were discussed in Chapter 2. It may be added here that the tree should be chosen with some regard for the size of the room which it is to adorn. I have seen oversized trees with their tops taken off standing in low-ceilinged rooms like sliding poles in a city firehouse. A small tree may look better on a low table than on the floor. A thin or badly proportioned tree can be much improved by wiring extra branches into the bad spots.

In my opinion, nothing has ever surpassed the beauty of the traditional Christmas tree, sparkling with old-fashioned balls and ornaments, for the most part imported from countries where their making was an ancient art. Perhaps there are many people who have never seen what I call a traditional tree. This may be why so many substitutes for the old-fashioned ornaments have come into usepaper rings, small toys, rope tinsel, fruits, icicles and fancy lights. There is no law against using any of these, but when the effect is shoddy, as it so often is, I find myself with a feeling of nostalgia wishing for a tree with ornaments bright and beautiful and a total effect simple and really artistic.

Some people regret that candles no longer decorate christmas tree. They were a serious fire hazard, of course, but their flickering lights and even the smoke and smell of the candles seemed appropriate to Christmas. When trees are trimmed with balls and ornaments, the smaller should be at the top with an imperceptible gradation toward the larger ones at the bottom. This gives an impression of stability and balance.

Color arrangement is a matter of taste. Some people prefer a single color, usually red, or a combination of blue and silver. I prefer the multi-colored christmas tree. One color can be tiresome, or may quarrel with some outstanding furnishing. A proper tree belongs in the room at Christmas time. It does not stand there like a stranger.

Trees may be sprayed with aluminum paint for a silvered effect or with water or casein paints. A solid color requires two coats. Painted trees are hardly appropriate to Christmas in the home, though they may be striking in long rows in a hotel lobby or town hall. Special occasions may excuse the painting of a Christmas tree. I have seen, for example, an effective tree set up in honor of a new baby. It was given two coats of white casein paint, then decorated with strings of pink popcorn, booties, rattles and other delicate-colored gifts, tied on with light blue ribbon.

Electric lights add life and additional color to the christmas tree, but often the passers-by on the street get a better view of them than the family indoors. It calls for a little ingenuity to hide the necessary wires and make the lights stand as upright as the candles they replace. Twelve-inch lengths of wire are helpful in this respect. Electric lights are suitable for outdoor trees. In choosing colors, consider that some carry better than others. White has higher visibility than amber; amber is brighter than red. Green or blue have a relatively short range. White bulbs with colored reflectors are effective.

It is a matter of good judgment, it seems to me, to avoid using traffic colors on an outdoor christmas tree if it stands close to the street. Motorists find the multiplication of red and green lights confusing at Christmas time, especially when they are on community trees at crossroad locations.

True tinsel has not been available for some time. It tarnishes quickly and new materials have replaced it, but they do not have the fineness and sparkle of the old-fashioned kind. Thin strips of tinfoil are much used nowadays in place of tinsel. These should be hung lightly at the top of tree and a little thicker at the bottom.

Imitation snow, in some form, is attractive on the Christmas tree. Absorbent cotton is commonly employed for the purpose, but rock wool is better. Commercially prepared snow, which is really mica, adds sparkle and camphor flakes are a fairly good substitute. The easiest snow for home use is made by beating a cup of soap flakes into a half cup of water. Work it to the consistency of stiff-beaten white of egg. Then swish it onto the tree with a flip of the hand. It hardens quickly and stays pure white. It is equally effective when sprinkled on the twiggy branches of deciduous trees and on shrubs like hackberry and huckleberry used in other decorations around the house.

After the Christmas tree has served its purpose, it is usually discarded with scant ceremony. There is nothing quite so sad and sorry-looking as a bedraggled tree, draped with disheveled tinsel, waiting on the curb to be taken to the city dump. This is a tragic ending for a noble tree that was a short time ago the center of life and gaiety.

Some more dignified obsequies may be suggested. In small communities the trees might be taken to a vacant lot or hilltop, where there is no danger of fire spreading, and burned with ceremony and the singing of carols. Twelfth Night would be a good time for it, and some communities have done this. To add beauty to the fire, chemicals can be tossed in which will produce colorful flames. (See Chapter 10).

A practical use for the Christmas trees and greens is to cut them up to mulch flower beds or evergreens, as protection against the winter cold and the sun and the wind of spring. If this is done, tinsel should be removed. It is not appropriate in the garden. A large christmas tree might be placed outdoors as a feeding station for the birds. Suet tied to the branches will attract woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees.

For use in public places, Christmas trees are treated to make them fire-resistant. It is impossible to make a tree absolutely fireproof, but proper treatment will make it unlikely that it will catch fire from any ordinary cause, such as a spark from the fireplace or a fault in the wiring of lights. A dry christmas tree, of course, is inflammable if it has not been treated. This is why all trees and greens displayed in military hospitals must be fireproofed.

It takes a little time and effort to treat a christmas tree, but it is certainly worth the trouble in households where there are small children. Some trees burn more readily than others. A freshly cut tree, of course, will not burn as quickly as one partially dried out. A simple precaution is to keep the tree as fresh as possible. When it is taken home, a small portion can be cut from the trunk and the tree placed in water. If left outdoors it may freeze, but this will keep it fresh until it is needed indoors.

Treatment for fire-resistance should be done several days before the christmas tree is brought indoors. There are several methods. The most thorough is to use ammonium phosphate, enough to equal one-quarter the weight of the tree. Dissolve the chemical at the rate of one pound to one and a half pints of water. Make a fresh cut at the base of the tree and stand it in the solution, in a cool room, until the liquid has been absorbed. Ordinarily this will take from three to four days.

Another method is to spray the christmas tree or cut branches of evergreens thoroughly with a similar solution, using one pound of ammonium phosphate to ten gallons of water. Half a gallon will coat a six- to eight-foot tree. The treatment leaves little residue and is in no way objectionable. Spraying should be done outdoors and the tree and greens allowed to dry before they are taken inside. Bows, ornaments and fruits should not be attached until after the spraying. It is advisable to spread newspapers on the area where the work is done; they will absorb excess liquid and prevent discoloration of the work surface.

Trees are considerably less of a fire hazard if they are securely fastened in their stands, so that they cannot topple toward a fireplace or candle flame. The danger of fire is further lessened by using a stand that holds water. An ordinary bucket will serve the purpose. Place the trunk in the bucket; then surround it with stones or gravel to the top. A wooden wedge, driven down into the ballast around the trunk, makes the tree more secure. Add water to the contents of the bucket and keep it filled through the holidays.

A cut tree will last longer if supplied with plant food. Use any complete chemical fertilizer at the rate of one teaspoonful to a quart of water. The nutrient solution, absorbed by the tree, will stimulate temporary growth which will keep the christmas tree green and fresh for a week or so. About a quarter pound of complete fertilizer will be required for the first filling of the bucket; it may be mixed with water in advance or put on the stones or gravel before water is added.

These simple christmas tree precautions add much to the enjoyment of Christmas by minimizing the danger of fire, which sometimes turns a happy holiday into tragic disaster.