Spruced up and ready for seasonal rush

TREE TIME: Stacey and Tarryn Jones in the great landscape of tiny pines at Santa's Trees in Meeanee.PHOTO/ROGER MORONEY

IT WOULD be fair to say that when it comes to choosing the right tree for his own home, Mark Jones has a slight advantage over most pursuers of the pine.

He has got about 10,000 of them out the back of his property off Awatoto Rd.

Mr Jones said the tree he generally chose had come to be known as "the hell tree" - a hell of a tree.

He has always been a supporter of real Christmas trees with real bark and real pine needles and that subtle hint of the forest.

"As kids we'd go up the Taihape Rd and flog one," he said.

Today, at Santa's Trees, he grows them from scratch and sells them, and while the numbers he now grows are slightly down from what he used to have, he has not tracked any noticeable decline.

"People still like the tradition of having a real tree," he said, adding that fears they may spark hayfever in those susceptible to it can be overcome by the simple use of an outdoor hose.

The trees have a solid pollen count and while his daughters Stacey and Tarryn are susceptible to hayfever, having a fine three to four metre pine tree in the lounge is not an issue.

Before taking them inside all they need, after being cut and readied, is a good washing down.

Spray them well with water from the hose, let them dry out and viola, no worries.

He grows them mainly as a hobby and does the planting every winter, which is the time to plant pines.

The little forest used to be a field where he ran a few sheep until about 12 years ago, when he decided it would be fun to put a few pines in there - and a few more as time went by.

The majority of those that he sells, after customers call and wander the little forest and take their pick, are about three to four years old and just under 2m high.

"We have people who came here as kids coming back as adults to buy a tree - that's tradition."

Many have already been spoken for.

Mr Jones said the families were fun when they wandered through the lines of pines seeking the one they would then tag with name and order for delivery in December.

"It's the looks on the kids faces as they see the trees - we give out some lollipops and balloons and they just love it."

So what of the theories that they will last longer if things such as sugar or aspirin are added to the water in the bucket?

That's all they are, theories.

There is only one staple and necessary ingredient, he says, and that is simply water.

"Some of them can drink up to four litres on the first day at home," he said.

"Just keep topping the water up and they will be just fine."

On the subject of Christmas tree theories, where did the tradition stem from?

One is that in the 16th century Martin Luther was wandering through some snow-covered woods on Christmas Eve and was struck by the beauty of a stand of evergreen pines.

The branches, dusted with snow, shimmered and seemed to glow in the moonlight.

So he found a small tree, took it home and decorated it with little candles which he lit in honour of Jesus.

There are also theories that Norse pagans and Celtic druids revered evergreens because because they would not die from year to year - staying green and alive while other plants and trees lost colour and appeared dead.

Druids decorated their trees with symbols of prosperity like coins and charms.

For the Jones family and their "hell of a tree", they will again have standing tinsel, ornaments and lights will be just fine through.