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Candlelit Christmas trees

Making It Grow Radio Minute
SC Public Radio
Making It Grow, hosted by Amanda McNulty

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Back in the day, many parents put up the Christmas tree up after the kids went to sleep on Christmas Eve. That’s one way to have a fresh tree! Of course, that meant you had a place to get a tree. A super fresh tree was a lot less likely to catch on fire when it had lit candles on it. An older friend said a neighbor had candles on her tree and invited people to come when they were burning. After a few minutes, the children were lifted in the air, and they blew the candles out. A much more memorable and romantic event than plugging the cord into an electric socket. Search The Henry Ford Museum, candlelit Christmas trees, to see the holders that were designed—inventors at work!

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Amanda McNulty is a Clemson University Extension Horticulture agent and the host of South Carolina ETV’s Making It Grow! gardening program. She studied horticulture at Clemson University as a non-traditional student. “I’m so fortunate that my early attempts at getting a degree got side tracked as I’m a lot better at getting dirty in the garden than practicing diplomacy!” McNulty also studied at South Carolina State University and earned a graduate degree in teaching there.