Let the fragrant scent of balsam greet you at your door with a fresh handmade balsam evergreen wreath available by mail from one of the many wreath businesses in Maine including Central Maine Wreath, Sunrise County Evergreens and Maine Holiday Wreaths. Choose from wreaths decorated with pine cones, red winterberries, crab apples, reindeer moss or a big Christmas-red bow.
For a more festive alternative to the traditional sprig of mistletoe, consider a balsam Kissing Ball made of fresh balsam tips and topped off with a lovely ribbon bow. Hang it in a doorway, hallway or wherever people congregate in your home, and let the kissing begin!
Dress up a porch railing, stairway banister, light post or fence with real balsam garland roping, a New England tradition since Colonial Times.
If you'll be entertaining, a holiday centerpiece with red candles for your table will add a festive air to any meal or gathering. Or use a balsam centerpiece to crown your mantle and add a scent of Maine to your home.
For a more whimsical decoration, try an evergreen candy cane: fresh-cut balsam formed to the shape of a candy cane and decorated with red velvet and candy stripe ribbons and three white-tipped pinecones.
And finally, to remember the reason for the season, there's a beautiful evergreen cross. These also make attractive cemetery markers to remember those who have gone on before.
These evergreen products are made without killing any trees. As part of the pruning process to make the trees grow fuller, the tips are cut each year and used for Christmas decorations. The better companies cut tips only after adequate frost and a number of consecutive cold nights to ensure needle retention. The product should last until after Christmas in warm climates if ordered after November 15th, and until March or April in colder climates.
You can also have fresh-cut Maine Christmas trees shipped to your door.
