Words by ITV News Weather Producer Jennifer Mawby
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how long are your branches?
If you’re visiting a Christmas Tree farm any time soon, you might notice some are slightly shorter than usual.
ITV News explains.
Why has growth been different this year?
Christmas tree seedlings are usually planted in the Spring when they are about 20cm in height.
However, Spring this year was the warmest and sunniest in the UK, according to the Met Office.
Hotter temperatures and a lack of rainfall caused seedlings to enter survival mode, which can lead to stunted growth.
A spokesperson from the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) told ITV News the spring weather put “significant stress on newly planted trees.”
However, it takes about 10 years for trees to grow to the six-foot masterpieces we see dazzling in our living rooms.
Harvest-aged trees can withstand changing and challenging weather conditions, so if you’ve already picked your tree, don’t worry, you should not see a difference.
How are farmers adapting to changing temperatures?
A Christmas tree will see a variety of weather conditions in its decade of growth, and some farmers are changing their planting strategies to adapt to the warming weather.
The BCTGA said many Christmas tree growers have started planting seedlings in autumn instead of spring to allow more time for the young trees to establish themselves throughout the winter when the months are colder.
Where did the tradition of Christmas trees come from?
Evergreens have been a popular Christmas decoration since the Middle Ages.
In Christianity, there are records of churches hanging holly and ivy in the Winter because they symbolised eternal life and the knowledge that spring would soon be on its way.
However, it wasn’t until the 19th Century that Christmas trees first made an appearance in the UK.
It was a tradition started by “good Queen Charlotte”, the German wife of George III, when she displayed a tree at Queen’s Lodge in Windsor in 1800.
Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria (Queen Charlotte’s granddaughter), then popularised tree decorating in the 1840s when an illustration was published showing the pair and their children gathered around a Christmas tree.
But instead of the twinkly tinsel and fairy lights we have today, the Victorians accessorised their trees with real lit candles and various ornaments.
They have since become a Christmas staple and spurred countless arguments on how early it is to put up the tree.
So have all the Christmas trees shrunk due to the dry spring?
No, but according to the BCTGA, the changing weather means there is more variety in shape and size.
The older trees won’t have felt the impact from the heat as much, but if you’re picking a tree in the future, you may notice more individuality in their appearance.
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