Home for the Holidays: Homegrown Canadian Christmas

‘Tis the season to begin holiday decorating, but did you know that more than 60 per cent of Christmas decor is made in China?

With trade being top of mind lately, how can you take a more made in Canada approach to Christmas?

You won’t find any plastic trees up at Drysdale’s Farm with 480 acres of Christmas trees in Egbert, Ont., that have been tended to for four generations.

“Christmas runs 364 days a year for us. We put our feet up and relax on Dec. 25. From seed, it takes 15 years to get to this size,” said Doug Drysdale while pointing to an average size tree.

“Natural Fraser fir, it’s a homegrown Canadian product, and the needles last a really long time.”

The entire tree is used up. The bottom branches that are cut off are saved and turned into handmade wreaths.

“Most of these ladies you see making wreaths have been with us for 15, 20 years,” said Drysdale.

Do-it-yourselfers can fashion ornaments out of pine cones by using a little bit of paint or sparkle glue and string and you’re done.

“Norway spruce have an even larger cone that are easy to decorate and look good on the tree,” he said.

“There’s a cottage industry in Ontario and much of the Maritimes where they make great wood-type ornaments.”