When Christmas rolls around and it's time to get our tree ready to put up, I always share this tip with friends. Surprising how many folks have never thought of this idea, yet it's so simple. We do this out on our patio, but it could be just as easily done out in the yard or in the garage. We buy a real tree each year, so my son and I bring it home, cut the twine from the branches, and set it in a bucket of water overnight, allowing the boughs to settle.
After it has absorbed water for a day, we put it in the stand in the middle of the patio, and have plenty of room to walk around the tree to determine which side we want to face towards the front in our livingroom. Next, I take out the stands of lights, and plug each one in to make sure it is working. I have an outdoor electrical outlet, but you could use an indoor outlet and run an extension cord to the tree if need be. After I know that each strand is working, I start at the bottom and just walk around the tree tucking the lights into the branches, arranging them as I see fit until I have gone all the way to the top.
When I'm done, my son and I carry the tree indoors (definitely a 2 man job,) and place it in the living room. After it's all set up, I fill the stand with water and plug 'er in! Couldn't be easier and I wouldn't do it any other way. Give it a try, I'd like to know how you like it.
This is a great idea, Donna! Putting lights on "correctly" means handling the branches a lot. I haven't done a real tree for years now but I remember how much dirt (bits of bark and grass n stuff) and needles it would shed on the living room carpet. Leaving it in the garage overnight also gives any living critters a chance to vacate before you bring it indoors.
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