Care and Safety Tips for your tree

Your Tree

Place the tree in a stand that will hold 2 to 3 litres of water. A tree drinks a lot of water the first couple of days, so check the water level a couple of times daily for the first day or so. After that check the water level once a day.

Make sure it is always immersed in water: If water drops below the trunk, the stem may reseal itself, requiring a fresh cut. Use a tree stand that has widespread legs for better balance.

Do not set your tree up near a heat source such as a radiator, television, fireplace, heating duct or sunny window. It should not block doors or windows.

Remove the tree within 10 to 14 days. After that amount of time in a heated building, even the freshest tree can start to dry out.

Decorations

Choose decorations that are flame-retardant, non-combustible and non-conductive.

If there are young children or pets in your home, avoid very small decorations.

Avoid using angel hair (glass wool) together with spray-on snowflakes. This combination is highly combustible.

Do not use metallic ornaments on the tree. If they make contact with defective wiring they could become a shock hazard.

Never use real candles on your tree.

Lights

Use Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certified light strings/sets or, if you live in another country, use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.

Inspect light strings/set before use. Check for cracked bulbs and for frayed, broken or exposed wires, and discard if faulty.

Turn off all tree and display lights before retiring for the night or before leaving the house.

Credits

Most of this information was taken from the Canadian Safety Council website

And from a brochure published by the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia