If you’re an environmentalist, then we don’t need to tell you about how dangerous the Christmas tree tradition is for the climate. Every year, parking lots packed with Christmas trees are decimated by families who, time and again, choose tradition over the well-being of the environment.
The best alternative? You can simply make a Christmas tree! It’s much easier than it sounds! Here’s how:
- Get a stick
You’ll need to start with a stick if you’re going to spare a tree by making your own Christmas tree. The best sticks, we’ve found, tend to be the base of a Christmas tree. So chop one down, strip the branches, and you’re good to go!
- Glue the branches!
You’ll need some wood glue, clamps, and some tree branches. Luckily, you probably have some left over from stripping your stick of its branches. You’ll want to use clamps to hold the branches on while the glue dries in a cool, dry area.
- Attach some needles
Your branches probably lost a lot of pine needles in the process of being stripped and glued back onto your stick, and in any event, they’ll fall out soon, anyways. Sewing needles and pins make a great substitute. You will need to sand every needle and pin for a moment so that it can hold the green spray paint. Make sure to lay some newspaper down before you get started!
- Time to decorate!
The downside to this tree is that the pointy sewing needles don’t hold decoration as well as natural pine needles. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t prop tasteful watercolor paintings up between the branches! Make sure to wear thick leather gloves any time you are near the tree, and do not use electric lights if you don’t want to be electrocuted.
What makes this project so much fun is that you’re not just hacking some poor tree down in the forest, except for the one you’re using for your stick and branches, you’re actually creating something unique! This is a great project to have fun throwing together with the kids!
DISCLAIMER: Do not do this project with children, or allow children to go anywhere near the tree.