F&B Christmas 2013Traditional Living Room, Frankfurt

Living Christmas TreesYou can enjoy a living Christmas tree for several years. Choose a slow-growing or dwarf conifer that will do well in your climate zone. You can’t keep it indoors for long, but it can be brought in for brief periods for several years. During the holiday season. Choose a healthy tree in a 5-gallon, 10-gallon or 15-gallon pot. Because nursery pots aren’t very festive, simply slip it into a larger, more decorative container. Set it in a bright, sunny, somewhat cool spot near a window and away from furnace vents and fireplaces. Water regularly, keeping the soil moist. One trick is to place ice cubes on top of the soil and let them melt.Trees don’t do well inside for very long. Plan on leaving them inside for five to seven days, with a maximum of 10 days. Post-holiday care. Move your tree outside to a sheltered location out of wind and sunlight for about a week. Water deeply, saturating the root ball, and lightly hose off or wipe off the needles to remove the dust. Once the tree has adjusted to outdoor temperatures, move it into a location in full sun and water regularly. Repot if it becomes root-bound. Learn more about living Christmas trees

When should I buy my tree? “It’s difficult to say which day is best for buying your tree, as this completely depends on the family, the culture and the tradition,” Sam says. “Americans seem to love to get their trees early and enjoy the ambience created for their parties and gatherings throughout December. Russian and Polish customers seem to like to follow their traditions of getting trees just a day or two before Christmas. For our family, we like to get the tree on the first weekend of December.”

Real fir in Germany. This natural Christmas tree in Germany has plenty of fun and colorful decorations, and a web of fairy lights on the floor in front of it.

Handle the PushbackMichelle Van Loon, whose children are grown, is limiting her Christmas decorations this year to a manger scene, a poinsettia and candles in the windows. “When family members expressed even a whiff of ‘Where’s all our Christmas stuff?’ I asked them if they wanted to help un-decorate in January,” she says. “Conversation over.”It really is as simple as that. MoreSurviving the Christmas Countdown: A Parent’s GuideGift Giving the Simple-ish WayChristmas Cleanup Tips for the Not Naturally Organized

good idea for tree, simple too.