Does your Christmas tree make you ill?

Did you plan on avoiding those horrible plastic Christmas trees this year? Real Christmas trees can certainly add that special touch, but did you know that some people and your children may be among them can have rather nasty allergic reactions those natural Christmas trees for various reasons? Here are some frightening secrets your Christmas tree might be hiding...

A nice tree may make Christmas magical for toddlers, but they don't come without risks. If you have terribly itchy eyes, are coughing, sneezing and wheezing, your Christmas tree may have something to do with it. We say Christmas-tree related, because such allergic reactions may not be caused directly by your Christmas tree. Rather, trees that have grown outdoors could be harboring several kinds of irritants. Before we describe the possible causes of problems, we'll first point out that there is no one tree that is called a "Christmas tree".

In fact, several kinds of trees are popular for Christmas, and they include the Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, and Colorado Blue Spruce. What about Christmas trees, besides an allergy for the particular tree you chose, can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous reactions? Let's take a look:

Pollens present on the tree which can have collected on the tree over years. Herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. Various kinds of molds, some of which can be present when you get your Christmas tree, and others of which can accumulate in those weeks you are enjoying that tree.

All of these irritants have a wonderful opportunity to be "liberated" when you kit that tree and move around the branches. Your decorations may be allergy-provoking too, if you have been storing them in the cupboard for a year and they've collected a layer of dust. If they're fresh off the boat from China, they may be full of chemicals. What can you do to prevent your Christmas tree from making you and your family ill? If possible, you should get a tree complete with its soil, or a tree that is chopped down right in front of you.

That way, it won't have had the chance to get all moldy while the seller was storing it. Wash your Christmas tree give it a cold shower or use your garden hose to eliminate at least some of the allergens. And the same goes for your Christmas decorations, too.