Heading out on your family Christmas Tree hunt?...wait a second and take this with you!
- Admin
- Nov 28, 2017
- 2 min read
Efficiency rules and Christmas tree hunting is the perfect opportunity to combine family fun with a bit of learning. If you like getting fresh cut trees, and maybe even cutting them yourself out on a tree farm, the kids can have a fun activity of collecting pine cones and maybe even identifying the type of coniferous tree you all choose for Christmas! I covered most of this in September when the kids and I were collecting leaves, but given that this is about Santa's favorite type of trees, the topic deserves a revisit. Also, as my husband, the girls, and I were driving out on our hunt for a Christmas tree he asked why not cut one in our backyard? We live adjacent to a state forest. I didn't think they would make the best Christmas trees. Fortunately, I was able to fetch my ID cards on my phone to figure out what kind of trees they were- Eastern white pines! Not what I had in mind.
I remind my kids that Santa loves conifers. Unlike deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall, conifers stay green throughout the year. These cone bearing, sweet smelling trees provide the magic in Christmas.
There are over 500 types of coniferous trees! And many fall into one of four categories:
Spruces - tend to have stiff, short needles
Pines - tend to have long, flexible needles that are bundled into 2 to 5
Firs - have 1 in. length needles and are a favorite as Christmas trees!
Cedars - the needles are soft, flexible, and flat
When you head out with the kids to choose your tree this year feel free to take this ID card/sheet and make a game of it! See if they can remember that they are looking at conifers and maybe they can match the cones they find with their ID cards and make a positive Christmas tree ID! Just click on the image and it will open into a pdf. Happy hunting and Merry Merry!
