For some, the holiday spirit doesn’t kick in until the evening of Dec. 24, when the stockings are already on the mantle. For others, Christmastime is a monthslong extravaganza that starts when the last trick-or-treaters say goodnight and ends sometime in late January, when the Christmas tree is a pile of needles on the floor.
The right time of year to put up a tree is a deeply personal decision, but regardless of your holiday decoration timeline, the annual Spotify spike of “All I Want for Christmas is You” streams has already begun, and the festivities’ approach is inevitable.
People who prefer to get the season started early should be sure to follow U.S. Forest Service guidance if they cut down a tree in the island’s federally protected rainforest.
The first rule of Christmas tree cutting is no double dipping. No permit is required to cut down a tree, but each household should limit themselves to one tree per year, less than seven inches in diameter at the stump. This means that families should be careful in their tree selections — once you cut one down, there’s no turning back.
People should also be mindful of the location they scout their tree from. Developed areas, land within 330 feet of a bald eagle’s nest or land 100 feet from a salmon stream or road is off-limits. If you’re not sure how to spot a bald eagle’s nest, avoid trees growing near water, since that’s where they usually roost. Trees growing in muskeg are also a no-go, since trees regenerate slowly in these unique environments.
Check out the motor vehicle use map on the Forest Service’s website to avoid taking a tree from private property.
In the children’s book “Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree,” by Robert Barry, Mr. Willowby selects a tree that’s too big for his house, so he chops off the top and gives it to his upstairs maid. This is an excellent example of what not to do. Chopping off the top of a larger tree is bad for its health — instead, make your cut as close to the ground as possible, the Forest Service advises.
When cutting in a designated wilderness area, such as the Stikine River, use only a handsaw or axe.
With the abundance of Christmas tchotchkes, novelty socks and disposable plastic decorations that appear in stores every season, some say that the holiday has been commercialized. Whether or not that’s true, this principle doesn’t apply to an all-natural, bona-fide Tongass Christmas tree, which is not eligible for commercial exchange. The trees cannot be sold or bartered, according to Forest Service guidelines.
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