Are You Allergic to Your Christmas Tree?

You might be surprised to find out that many times, holiday allergies aren’t caused by the tree itself, but by mold and chemicals associated with keeping a live tree in your home. Watering a live tree can cause spores and mold to grow, and many Christmas trees have been sprayed with chemicals. One easy alternative is to purchase an artificial tree, but many will argue that it’s just not the same as a fragrant, fresh tree to liven up the home during the holidays. Artificial trees can also be just as big allergy triggers when stored improperly. So what else can be done about it?

Dr. Atkins of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center makes an interesting observation about holiday allergies. He says that often people will recognize their holiday allergy symptoms as they’re decorating their tree and automatically assume the tree is the culprit. In actuality, it’s often caused by digging up the boxes of Christmas ornaments that have been sitting in musty basements or collecting dust in attics.

Stirring those particles into the air while unpacking all of the decorations can cause major allergy flare ups.  He advises people to keep their decorations (or artificial tree) in plastic bags in dry areas off of the floor when not in use, and to wash their hands after decorating and handling the packed materials.

If you’re concerned about the spores or pollen in a live tree but still want to have a live tree in your home, you can treat your tree with a fungicide, according to USA Today (just be sure to find a non-toxic variety and do it outside). Mountain cedar pollen can cause problems in about 1 in 10 people. Luckily, Scotch Pines and Douglas Firs don’t pollinate in the winter, so you may want to look for those in order to eliminate multiple problems.

Whatever tree you choose, be sure to follow these precautions and you should be able to enjoy a healthy holiday season.