WITH December now officially here and the festive season in full swing, millions around the world have been keeping busy decking their homes and decorating the Christmas tree.
According to tradition, Christmas trees shouldn’t be put up until the beginning of Advent, which starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25.
Although putting the tree up and covering it with baubles can be quite the task, it’s arguably one of the most exciting things that gets us into the festive spirit.
However, one woman, Carrie Williams, has decided to skip this step altogether – and instead, wraps her Christmas tree in plastic to then reuse it the following year.
The woman, from Mississippi, the US, recently took the internet by storm with the rather bizarre method – which has left TikTok users totally divided.
In the now-viral video, which has been viewed more than 7million times in just one day, Carrie explained that once the festivities were over last year, she decided to cover all of her Christmas trees in plastic wrap.
Now, that the winter holidays are around the corner, the savvy brunette beauty spent the weekend unwrapping the old Christmas trees in the family’s living room.
To make the process easier and less time-consuming, Carrie first grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the plastic wrap in half, before removing it from the fir.
All chuffed with the unusual hack, Carrie said: ”The greatest idea ever!
”It saved me so much time.”
Proudly showing off the decorations from the previous year, the Christmas super fan filmed the festive displays on the fir, which featured a gold and white theme, as well as a red moment with ribbons and trucks.
Instead of opting for a star tree topper, Carrie had gone all out with a sparkly bouquet in red, green and silver.
”Definitely wrapping my Christmas tree again this year,” she wrote in the caption of the vide, which has sparked a fierce debate on the platform.
Since being posted on her page, Carrie’s clip has attracted millions of social media users who’ve left more than 3,600 comments in 24 hours.
Amongst those who’d seen the clip were many who disagreed with the wrapping method and insisted she was ”missing out on the best part” of the festive season.
One said: ”But why? The best part is decorating the tree with the family! Every Christmas different way.”
HERE'S what you need to know if you're buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing’s first: buy a pot (if it doesn’t come in one already).
You’ll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage – and it’s a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it’s not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren’t too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It’s a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don’t survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.
Another agreed, writing: ”I change my theme and decorating is the fun part.”
”Good idea, but there is the fun and spirit of Christmas with the family,” chimed in a third, as a critic dubbed it ”a crime”.
However, there were also plenty of those who disagreed with the haters and reckoned she was up to something.
”I love this! Not sure why people needed to tell you this wouldn’t work for them,” wrote a social media user.
”Didn’t even know this was an option,” a second added, amazed by the discovery.
