The First Thing To Do When You Get Home With A Christmas Tree For Fuller Branches (& A Cleaner House)

There's nothing quite like setting up a fresh Christmas tree to ring in the season. Its crisp, piney fragrance fills the room as its lush, deep green branches transform the entire space. For many, the holiday season doesn't begin until the tree goes up. It's understandable, then, why many people rush to get their live tree home and decorated as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, without the proper preparation, a hasty installation sets your live tree up to be a droopy disappointment by Christmas Day.

Setting your tree up for success begins with knowing what to look for when shopping for your live Christmas tree and transporting it home with netting or wrapped in a blanket. Once you get your perfect tree home safe and sound, don't take it straight inside. Instead, cut away the netting and leave the tree outside for a full 24 hours. This important step helps your tree acclimate to being cut and keeps the initial needle drop outside before it has to adjust to the vast temperature and climate differences of its indoor home. If you don't do this, the transplant shock of being moved inside can make the tree drop even more needles and ultimately not thrive as well in its new home. Remember, live Christmas trees are more than just decorations — they are living plants that require care and maintenance. Most people know they need to make sure their Christmas tree gets enough water to thrive all season long, but fewer realize that adding a few caretaking steps before they start hanging ornaments will make a big difference in ensuring their tree dazzles all the way to New Year's Eve.

Giving your live Christmas tree a little breathing room outside will also allow the branches to drop and settle well before you add your decorations, resulting in a fuller-looking tree. While it rests outside, the tree still needs lots of fresh water. Cutting off the bottom of the trunk will help it stay hydrated while also prolonging the life of your real Christmas tree. You can go ahead and put your tree in a Christmas tree stand outside, or you can just place the trunk in a bucket of water. However, securing the tree so it stands upright without leaning against anything will help the branches settle evenly.

Potted Christmas trees don't need their trunks cut, but they still benefit from a good soil soak and some time outside before taking them indoors. Also, be sure to pay attention to the container your potted tree came in, and consider repotting if it's too small while it's outdoors. Your Christmas tree should stand up just fine to the cold during its outdoor retreat, but it wouldn't hurt to wrap it in a blanket or tree cover if it's going to be a particularly frigid night.