There is probably no such house where a good and fabulous New Year's holiday would not be met. In this case, you still need to think about New Year's menu, choose the right outfit for the evening, prepare gifts for family and friends, and also choose a Christmas tree and toys for her.
"Forest Beauty" is rightfully considered a symbol of the New Year. A few decades ago, in almost every house you could find a real Christmas tree, but nowadays, many people give preference to artificial Christmas trees.

Therefore, on the eve of this holiday, we need to decide whether to acquire a real forest beauty or an artificial one. It is also worth noting that Christmas trees are sold by artificial and online stores, in connection with which you may be able to save your precious time.

Which tree is better, artificial or real?

Just imagine for a minute if everyone will cut down a live one by the New Year's holiday. christmas tree what damage will be done to nature. In addition, some part of these products cannot be sold, and therefore the sellers simply will not have to throw them into a landfill. This can be explained by the fact that prices for spruce are growing every year.

Therefore, many people choose artificial spruce, which can last for more than one year. In addition, an artificial one is more beautiful and lush, at a time when a real lush Christmas tree is sometimes very difficult. To do this, you may still have to bypass more than one market, which will take a lot of time and effort.

Of course, an artificial one is more expensive, but you should not forget that it can serve you for about 10 years, and with careful handling, even longer. At the same time, there is also no need to worry about the materials from which they are made, since they are environmentally friendly and practically odorless.

Small or tall to the ceiling, fluffy green or made by hand from improvised means, artificial or alive - every year millions of people ask themselves the question: "So which tree to choose?" Let's take a look at the pros and cons of both options.

Living tree

If you decide to give preference to a forest beauty, with the appearance of which an indescribable atmosphere and smell will reign in your house, then you need to remember how to choose and take care of her correctly.

– Buy tree at least a week before the New Year, and immediately after purchase, let it stand on the balcony, "rest" after frost and before installing in a warm room.

– Choose a suitable method of fastening: either a wooden cross, or a bucket of sand, to which add a solution of sugar and aspirin.

– Do not forget that the spruce is alive, so do not overload the tree with toys, do not use artificial snow in the form of a spray for decoration, and periodically spray the needles with water from a spray bottle.

Faux Christmas tree

A fake tree may seem like a greener option. Perhaps it is, but only on condition that you are ready to use the same tree from year to year, taking care of it and carefully keeping it in the mezzanine or in the closet. When you want to change this tree for a new one, do not throw it away, but find a new owner for it, who will continue to use it carefully. Or start a tradition in your family: together with Christmas decorations pass from generation to generation and artificial spruce.

Environmental problems begin when you buy an artificial tree every year and throw away the old tree.

According to Canadian scientists, from an environmental point of view, artificial spruce will pay for itself only if it lasts at least 20 years. Otherwise, buying a live Christmas tree would be a more sustainable option.

You will say that cutting oil can harm the planet.

But let's not forget that, firstly, the spruce comes to Christmas markets from specially grown plantations, and not from the wild forest.

Secondly, the number of fir trees for such bazaars is regulated, and a limited number of trees are brought to them every year.

Thirdly, it is not known which is better from an environmental point of view: the production of an artificial Christmas tree from synthetic material consumes non-renewable oil reserves, while spruces grow on their own and more and more trees grow every year.

The advantages of choosing an artificial spruce include:

– Convenience... You can collect a spruce at any time, and not run in search of a living tree in the pre-New Year's bustle.

– Variety of colors and shapes... If you want a red fluffy spruce - please, white with sparkles - no problem!

- And the most important thing - no needles on the floor! Choose a tree made of high-quality certified material and remember that polyvinyl chloride is most often used for its production, which, when heated, emits an analogue of the war poison gas - phosgene.

Well, if you are not entirely sure which tree to give preference to, try making a Christmas tree with your own hands using sticks painted, for example, in silver color and attached to the wall in the shape of a Christmas tree.

Another option is to cut the silhouette of a tree out of cardboard, decorating with Scandinavian-style toys and white garlands.

The main rule when creating such a designer Christmas tree is that it should resemble a pyramid in shape.

Your imagination will do the rest for you!

On the eve of the New Year, the question of which tree to choose is always acute, especially since you can find both live and artificial for every taste on sale. Both types of trees have advantages and disadvantages. Once in a situation of such a choice, it is necessary to carefully study the characteristics of each option and only after that decide which tree is better.

Tree in the house

Traditionally, people have greeted New Year and Christmas with a living forest beauty, and now many people prefer to buy just such. The advantages of a real tree:

• pine needles scent, which is not only very pleasant (and many people new year holidays associated only with him), but also useful: it disinfects the air in the apartment, soothes the nerves, helps to treat respiratory diseases;
• after the holidays they get rid of it, there is no need to look for a place to store it;
• you can make a hair mask from the needles, brew spruce buds with tea - the components of a living tree are very useful for health.

On the other hand, buying a tree also has numerous disadvantages:

• the aroma that pleases everyone does not last long;
• even a small Christmas tree weighs a lot, it is difficult to deliver it home if it is bought far from it, there is no car and an elevator;
• needles crumble and clog up the apartment;
• a live tree is highly flammable, so you need to carefully select garlands for it and monitor their work;
• limited sale: a small number of Christmas tree markets are opened, which are working enough short period, therefore, there is a danger of not having time to buy a good tree;
• the demand for living trees is the reason for their massive felling, which is inhumane in relation to these trees;
• after the end of the holidays, the tree has to be thrown away, which is also inhumane;
• recycling culture in our country is not developed.

Whether or not to acquire a living tree is up to everyone to decide for himself. And if you still intend to buy a real one, then it is important to learn how to choose such a tree correctly.

First of all, you need to purchase at the official Christmas tree market. At unofficial points of sale, Christmas trees can be poached. The acquisition of wood there supports the barbarian felling. It is best to buy trees grown under power lines. They can't be tall anyway, they are cut down. Trees grown in special nurseries are also suitable. A good option- Christmas trees cut down during the sanitary cleaning of the forest.

When buying a natural Christmas tree, you should pay attention to the following points:

• the needles should be smooth and uniform, the needles should be rubbed;
• when shaking, the needles and cones should not crumble much;
• branches should be resilient and not break off easily;
• the main parameters of a healthy tree: the trunk in the girth is not less than 6 cm, the needles are uniform, the width is not more than the height, the branches of one tier grow at the same level, and the density is uniform.

New Year's dummy

When thinking about the question of whether to choose a living or artificial tree, people often lean towards the latter option. Indeed, the plastic symbol of the New Year has advantages over the present:

• a wide selection: such trees come in different sizes, colors, solid and require assembly, they are also sold LED and already decorated with toys or sprinkled artificial snow, they are easy to choose in accordance with the space in the apartment and the interior;
• an artificial tree does not need to be bought every year, it serves for several years;
• it does not require watering, needles do not crumble from it;
• such a tree is convenient if there are small children in the house - they will not be able to prick with needles, in an artificial tree they are usually soft;
• well suited for those who are allergic to needles;
• the demand for artificial trees allows to reduce the felling of living ones;
• they start selling them earlier - at the beginning of December, and there are a lot of points of sale.

On the other hand, they also have serious disadvantages:

• there is no New Year's smell of needles;
• can be expensive;
• if some branches or other parts are broken or gone, you will have to buy a new one;
• not all artificial trees are really durable;
• the tree can be difficult to assemble;
• it can emit toxic substances, especially for cheap Christmas trees, so it is better to pay more, but buy a high-quality one;
• the older the artificial tree, the more harmful substances are released from it, because they decompose over time;
• you may be allergic to plastic or other materials from which this tree is made;
• When such a tree is thrown away, it takes about 200 years to decompose, causing enormous damage to the environment.

Choosing a good artificial tree is no easier than choosing a living one. In order for it to serve for a long time, it is important to check it upon purchase:

• tug at the needles: it should straighten out if it is soft, and remain motionless if it is hard, but in no case crumble;
• pay attention to the material: PVC is the most durable, but most often it turns out to be poisonous, so it is worth taking more expensive options and requesting a quality certificate;
• if the tree is folded, the kit should contain instructions on how to assemble it;
• you should definitely smell: if this New Year's attribute gives off plastic or other chemical substance, you cannot take it.

It is worth remembering that the production of artificial trees is quite harmful to the environment, so it is worth buying this accessory once and for a long time.

Caring for a living tree

For those who have chosen a real forest beauty, it is important to know how to care for her so that she retains its freshness and beauty for as long as possible. First of all, it is necessary to transport it correctly: tie it and carry it down with the crown of the head, holding the trunk. You need to bring it into the apartment forward with the base. Next, the tree must be untied and left on the balcony or loggia for a day.

Before installation, it is necessary to saw off 2-3 cm from the tip of the barrel so that water can freely flow inside. The saw cut should be straight and neat, at right angles. No more cuts can be made on the barrel. The Christmas tree can be installed in the crosspiece, but it will really be good for it in a bucket of sand or in a special stand with a container for water. It is permissible to add a little liquid fertilizer to the sand (if you use it), the trunk should be immersed by 15-20 cm. Every day the guest needs to water it. For more freshness, you can spray the branches with a spray bottle.

This tree does not like when it is hot and dry around it. Therefore, you need to put the tree as far away from batteries and heaters as possible. It is also better to hang small or LED garlands on it, from large bulbs the needles will overheat and dry faster.

When the holidays are over, it’s time to get rid of the tree, it’s better not to rush to throw it in the trash, but try to dispose of it somehow. If there is a summer cottage with a sauna, the tree can be cut for firewood. V large cities recycling points work, there they make organic fertilizers, disinfectants for car tires, etc.

Artificial tree care

In order for a dead tree to serve for many years, it also needs to be fully looked after. First of all, accuracy is needed during transportation and storage. To prevent the branches from bending or breaking during transportation home, the tree must be carefully packed in a large enough box. Caring for this item requires some effort:

• in order for the needles to fluff better, it is recommended to hold the branches over a basin with hot water, the steam from which just makes them more magnificent;
• it is periodically necessary to wash the dust from the tree with a cloth or rinse the tree with a shower (if it is small, not LED, there are no metal parts, tinsel or glitter in it), this procedure must be repeated with each assembly and disassembly;
• if the tree is prefabricated, you need to clean each element separately;
• if rust appears on metal parts, you need to clean it off, and then treat the tree with an anti-corrosion compound, sometimes it can also be used for prophylaxis;
• it is recommended to clean the LED tree from dust with a dry cloth or special napkins;
• it is worth using special aerosols for artificial plants for cleaning;
• you need to store the tree in a spacious box as far as possible from heating devices, do not allow moisture and direct sunlight to get on it;
• the box must be tightly closed so that the tree does not gather dust;
• you need to lay very carefully so as not to wrinkle the branches.

To make the artificial tree look good, it is worth collecting it not just before the New Year's celebration, but in advance, so that the frame and branches regain their shape, which they could lose from lying in the box for a long time.

For those who lack the natural smell, but an artificial tree seems more suitable, it is recommended to sprinkle it with coniferous fragrance, then there will be a complete illusion of a real New Year's tree in the house.

Whatever artificial or live Christmas tree you like, you always need to buy a high-quality one at an official point of sale and take good care of it. Then the New Year will become a real holiday, a triumph of kindness and beauty!

A fluffy, fragrant, but so short-lived living tree or a compact, durable and practical artificial tree? To make your choice, you need to consider all the pros and cons of both options.

Natural spruce

All the days of New Year's holidays you will be delighted with the incomparable aroma of a real tree.

Another obvious plus of an evergreen beauty is her appearance- this is what the manufacturers of artificial trees are trying to imitate.

There is no need to assemble a live Christmas tree, the only problem is the installation, but it is easy to solve it - now many sellers offer stands for Christmas trees or even Christmas trees in pots. There is no need to store such a spruce after the holidays, this will save space in the house.

Christmas trees emit into the air essential oils possessing a bactericidal effect, some types of pine are even capable of killing tubercle bacillus. In addition, the pine scent has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, relieves stress and nervousness. In general, essential oils of coniferous trees have long been widely used for the prevention of respiratory diseases and disinfection. And, of course, for many of us, the smell of a living tree is a smell from childhood.

Spruce needles can come in handy after the New Year holidays. So, useful mask, which relieves hair from dryness and brittleness, can be prepared by putting a few spruce branches in a pot of water, "boiling" them for 1 hour. The resulting broth must be infused for 20 minutes, and then add 1 whipped protein and a few drops of brandy there.

And by scrolling the spruce needles (previously separated from the branches) through a meat grinder and adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass, you will get an excellent paste for colds - the compress can be applied to the chest or inhaled. In the end, you can make an exclusive ecological mattress from the crumbled needles.

There are also downsides. As you know, either pine is not easy enough, given the pre-New Year's excitement and the unscrupulousness of the seller-suppliers.

It should be borne in mind that brittle branches indicate an old tree, and if there is a black border several centimeters wide on the cut of the trunk, then the tree will not stand for long. The color of the tree should be saturated, and if you rub a few needles between your fingers, then an oily trace and a pleasant pine smell should remain on the skin. Prices at the Christmas tree bazaars last year varied from 900 to 1500 rubles per square meter, depending on the area from which the forest beauty was brought.

A living tree requires attention and special care, which not everyone is ready for. It takes patience to preserve the tree. For example, to prepare a solution for a Christmas tree, you need to dissolve an aspirin tablet, a pinch of salt and a spoonful of sugar in water. Aspirin prevents the development of bacteria, and salt and sugar are needed for nutrition. Then you should mix this solution with clean sand and set the tree in such a way that the tree trunk is immersed by 15-20 centimeters. In addition, it is recommended to spray the spruce with fresh water from time to time.

Artificial spruce

The main advantage of an artificial Christmas tree is that it can be used many times, this not only saves the budget, but also the time that has to be spent on choosing a natural tree.

In addition, one of the advantages of fake wood is the lack of needles on the floor. The tree will not crumble, which means that the time for cleaning after the New Year's holidays will be reduced.

You are helping to reduce the environmental damage caused by illegal logging of young conifers. The growth rate of evergreens is very low - about 10-20 cm per year, so the planting of new plants does not keep pace with large-scale felling.

But still, the artificial tree, even if it is produced in accordance with the highest quality standards, is made of plastic using other chemical compounds that are often not written on the label. It is known that polyvinyl chloride (PVC), from which artificial spruce is most often made, is created from oil resources and is burdened with harmful lead compounds. Moreover, for all its positive qualities, polyvinyl chloride is the most dangerous of all types of plastics, scientists argue that when heated, PVC releases an analogue of a warfare poisonous gas - phosgene.

Two gaze

Axes never stop in the woods. The season of "hunting" for coniferous trees was opened last week. What's New Year without a tree? But what should she be? Buy the old-fashioned prickly beauty cut in the forest, or choose an artificial coniferous simulation stuffed with electronics? Everyone has their own view of the ideal of the New Year's tree. However, it turned out that there is also a third option. Have you heard anything about Christmas trees
in tubs? .. In the pre-holiday hustle and bustle, R reporters were trying to find out under which trees it would be better to celebrate 2007. We listened to the advice of urban decorators, designers, epidemiologists and even rescuers from the Ministry of Emergencies ...

Green happiness in a tub

Foresters twist - designers rejoice

I wonder if you noticed or not? This New Year's Eve season in Belarus for the first time began to sell Christmas trees in tubs. A two-meter tree in a miniature basin will cost you 90-110 thousand rubles in Zhdanovichi. In Gomel, the price is about the same. Sellers claim that this is a fashionable Dutch import and, in general, the variety is anywhere, but the trees for some reason stubbornly freeze on the street. What can you say: it doesn't go, sir.

- The volume of Christmas trees sold on New Year's holidays has almost halved over the past 10 years. If in 1996 the Belarusians installed 250 thousand fir trees in their homes, then in the past - only 146. But what can I say. Previously, live trees were stolen by trucks during the season, now there are 20-30 cases of illegal felling per year, ”compares the figures and indicates trends Alina Valevach, chief specialist of the hunting industry of the Ministry of Forestry of Belarus. - What happened? Some have acquired artificial beauties during this time. Others have enough spruce legs for the holiday. The pan-European ecological fashion also affects, dictating the replacement of natural raw materials with various kinds of synthetic materials.

Yes, on the one hand, they cut and sell less. On the other hand, they are unlikely to be left at great losses: a herringbone grows up to 2 meters in 8-10 years, but the price for it (due to the social significance of the product) is always fixed. Hence, there is often a negative profitability of the work of the leshozes in this area.

- As far as our service is concerned, there are no serious complaints about either one or the other. Natural Christmas trees are inherently safe from the point of view of sanitary norms and rules. Artificial ones, as a rule, consist of polymeric materials that are susceptible to destruction and may pose a theoretical threat. May ... However, checks recent years We did not find any cases of low-quality products of this product group entering the Belarusian market, - explains Ivan Voytovich, head of the communal hygiene department of the Minsk City Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health. - Therefore, since 2005, artificial Christmas trees are not subject to state hygienic registration.

The last and, perhaps, the most important. "Which tree is more interesting to decorate?" - asked "R" at the Academy of Arts of Belarus.

- My answer is unambiguous: natural. After all, every time it is a process. A new unusual form and a different content corresponding only to it. Each time you deal with a pristine natural masterpiece and become a co-creator, sums up Mikhail Shikov, head of the Department of Interior and Equipment. - The difference between a natural and artificial Christmas tree is as huge as artificial and natural flowers. Live tree- it is always a meeting with the beautiful.

BY THE WAY

Since December 20, more than a thousand fairs, bazaars and trade places for the sale of natural spruce have been organized in Minsk. Average retail prices for them fluctuate depending on the height from 9 to 15 thousand rubles.

The art of being a Christmas tree

Thousands of Belarusians will meet the New Year in the company of domestic polymer polymer production

I watched a terrible scene on December 31 last year: a few hours before the New Year, sellers of the Christmas tree market chopped unsold young trees with axes. So that no one drags away for free at the last moment ... From year to year, more and more unnecessary trees remain in Minsk and other cities. Evolution new year trees displaces natural needles from our homes. Living trees are replaced by plastic simulations: Christmas trees-chameleons and Christmas trees-robots.

In search of the perfect evergreen beauty, I walked the other day through the capital's department stores and hypermarkets. In the New Year's sale departments there is a real Christmas tree "jungle". "Cleopatra", "Roxana", "Victoria", "Laura" - nowadays the trees have such tempting names. Judging by the labels, they "grow" in Poland, Ukraine, China and even Canada. The smallest - from 20 cm - 4 thousand rubles, 1 meter - 60 thousand, 3 meters - more than 400 thousand. The benefits are tangible years later. Buying a one and a half meter synthetic Christmas tree for ten years saves you from going to New Year's markets for its natural counterpart.

“Every year, artificial trees are being bought up more and more willingly,” notes Svetlana Kasyanova, the leading commodity expert at GUM. - A week before the New Year, the store received about 400 artificial Christmas trees (more than 30 million rubles). Almost all are sold.

Vendors in the Dynamo and Zhdanovichi markets offer exotics. A chameleon tree, a corkscrew tree, a spiny tree with a musical microchip (this “robot” will surprise you with a New Year's melody to the chimes). At the peak of demand, a garland-tree stuffed with electronics with shimmering needles. 407 thousand rubles for 180 cm of New Year's charm.

But the novelties of the season are artificial spruces and pines of Belarusian production. Since August of this year, they have been produced by one firm in Dzerzhinsk. According to its director, several thousand coniferous simulations were sold in a couple of weeks. At first glance, fluffy Belarusian Christmas trees cannot be distinguished from their Polish New Year counterparts, except that the price is slightly lower. Raw materials and production technology are borrowed.

Arguments in favor of artificial Christmas trees are given by the decorators of metropolitan squares and avenues. For the third winter in a row, artificial giant Christmas trees have settled in the crowded places of Minsk. Today, there are six New Year's beauties made of polymer compounds in the city.

- Central Christmas trees in most European capitals have long been artificial. They are easy to install, resistant to strong winds and give endless decoration possibilities, - says Igor Vabishchevich, chief engineer of Minskgoroformlenie. - It is difficult to judge the economic benefits. The cost of a 15-meter spruce cut down is 50-80 thousand rubles. The price of one artificial coniferous branch is 30 thousand rubles. And the construction of a city Christmas tree requires 800 to 4000 such branches ...

By the way, the country's main Christmas tree on Oktyabrskaya Square in next year will add 12 meters in height. Its crown will shine at a height of 40 meters (2 meters higher than the obelisk on Victory Square). It will save about 200 young Christmas trees from felling (this is a small park). And how many of these Christmas trees can we save by giving up trees from the forest ...