The Christmas tree: so green, so warm, so inviting

Every year we celebrate Christmas on a grand scale with gifts, the big dinner and that age-old tradition: the Christmas tree. The tree most commonly used for this is a conifer*. We call this special plant 'a Christmas tree' but it can actually be any one of many different kinds.

With the Christmas conifer, you can make your home a Christmas paradise; after all, you have more than a hundred varieties and sizes to choose from. Some are 50 centimetres tall: perfect for a table decoration. Others have that traditional Christmas tree height that makes them just right for the living room. Yet others, intended for outdoors in the garden, can be 25 metres tall or taller.

Then we have those special eye-catching Christmas trees. To give them an extra festive look, these trees are covered in artificial snow or glitter, come packed in a beautifully decorated Christmas wrapping, or have a Christmas greeting card hanging on a branch ready to wish someone a Merry Christmas. Who can wait? It's time for Christmas!

Did you know that the pine cones we use for our Christmas decorations grow on conifers? And pine cones are where we get pine nuts!
  

* The term 'conifer' refers to the fact that these plants produce cones. Derived from Latin, it is a combination of /conus /(cone) and/ferre/(bearing). This plant division includes spruces, firs, pines, cedars, cypresses, junipers and yews.