Christmas trees coming out of our ears

December is dominated by one event in our shop: Christmas. In our shop, the most physically demanding part is selling Christmas trees - this year it wasn't made any easier by the never ending wind and rain. See our Krinner Christmas tree stands: the easiest and sturdiest tree stands around, with water reservoir.

Our own tree, Christmas 2014.

We sell Noble and Nordman fir trees (Abies) that are grown near Grange Con in West Wicklow on a gorgeous old family farm. The trees are carefully fertilised and maintained so that by the time they end up in your living room they are up to eight years old, bushy, full and luxuriant. These two fir species are both of the 'non-shed' variety that will last well past Christmas, though this is helped if you have a stand that keeps water in it such as the Krinner stands we sell. The Noble fir has the stiffer, bluer foliage and the Nordman has the darker, softer foliage. Some say that the Noble has the better fragrance, though both bring that 'Christmassy' aroma to your home. It seems to be a classic case of 'different folks, different strokes'. In any case, we belive the trees that we sell are fuller, fresher and more handsomely shaped than many of the trees that we have seen. Our customers frequently tell us that they last longer and look better than any tree they have ever had before. If using a stand that keeps water, we will trim off the end of the tree when you take it away, and also trim the base so that it will fit properly into your stand.

Tig and Richard on the road. Driving over the Wicklow Gap, from Laragh to Hollywood, is always beautiful. This year the weather was on the gloomy side: too subtle to capture in a photograph so we are using two handsome men instead.

Trees in the field and off to Europe. Ireland is a big exporter or Christmas trees, and the higher quality trees such as the ones we sell are predominantly exported to the UK and mainland Europe.

The stiffer, bluer foliage of Noble fir (Abies nobilis).

Surely the best-dressed Howbert & Mays Christmas tree? Installed in the Krinner Comfort XL stand and placed on a HugRug, this tree was lovingly decorated by Helen B.

One of our trees, as emailed in by a customer: lovingly decorated in what seems to be a very beautiful home.

A freshly delivered Nordman fir in a gorgeous living room in Blackrock. Decorations to follow...

Another freshly delivered tree awaiting decorations.

A tree on a mini with a little Scottie dog to look after it.

Green Party councillor Ossian Smyth practices what he preaches and takes away his 9 foot tree on a bicycle, as he has done every year.

A large, very bushy christmas tree barely making a dent in this enormous living room: one upside of delivering trees is getting to see some amazing houses and interiors.