It's the time of the year to go and pick out your fresh Christmas tree. You know that wonderful holiday smell that can't be recreated with plastic and a can.

Once you get home, remember that not all waterers are created the same.

"A lot of families bicker and argue and get really picky about their tree," said Kelly Walterscheid, inventor of Santas Secret Boots and Santas Secret Gift waterers. "Then they get it home and forget to water it and it's gone in one day."

Walterscheid, who grew up on a farm, has a real love for Christmas. She developed a solution for others to enjoy a fresh tree at the holidays without all the hassle.

Watering a fully decorated tree — especially with fragile ornaments, wrapped presents and wires — can be a daunting and time-consuming task for anybody.

You pull out the watering can, stoop down at least once daily to water the tree and inevitably spill. Not with these beautiful and functional devices, which don't stand out. While the Santas Secret Boots blend right in, the Santas Secret Gift can be wrapped to personalize it beneath the tree.

Both work with all tree sizes and any traditional stand. There is no assembly required and setup is a breeze. "It's not just a tube and bucket or an item you have to spend time figuring out. It is simple and effective right out of the box," said Walterscheid.

Simply place a Santas Secret level on the floor, 3 feet from the tree stand. Insert the probe completely in the tree stand bowl. Fill each Santa Boot with 1 gallon of water or each Santa Gift with 2 gallons.

Start the auto-fill cycle by squeezing the primer bulb five times or more to remove the air bubbles from the feed tube and bulb. Repeat once again in 24 hours. Once you've done this, each item will keep the average tree watered continuously for 10 days and then you just refill. They even have a built-in refill indicator.

If you have a really big tree, use more than one. Included is a chart to let you know just how many devices will keep your tree alive, even while you are away.

The Santas Secret Boots are 4 inches long, 9 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Colors include: rudolf red, ebony black, jolly green and arctic white. Retail price is $23.

The Santas Secret Gift is 12 inches by 8 inches by 5 inches and sells for $19. Colors include: ruby red, topaz blue, emerald green and amethyst violet.

Walterscheid said there is no reason to avoid buying a real tree, despite allergies. "Just make sure that your tree is clean. It's the dust that bothers people. Out here in Arizona people even take their tree, let it sit overnight in their pool and then bring it in," according to the Mesa, Ariz., resident.

And make sure your tree was cut. "Thirty days is the max. You have to ask, especially at 'Big Box' stores, " Walterscheid said. "Many times trees are cut, stored and shipped even as early as August. They may have traveled thousands of miles and froze along the way. You have to ask. Even a fresh cut won't let an old tree soak up water."

For more information, call 480-898-0081 or visit www.santas-secret.com. Your purchases will be at your door within two to three days.

FIRE SECRET

Duraflame now offers stackable logs that give you a bigger and better fire. Better yet, they are also the first manufactured logs that can safely burn in wood stoves along with the traditional fireplaces and fire pits.

The Stax logs come in three- and six-log bundles for $10 and $20, respectively.

Three logs burn for about three hours. If you want it to go longer, just add more. The logs are made of recycled wood fiber and renewable biowax, which burn cleaner than wood.

For more information, visit www.duraflame.com.

Maggie Reed may be reached at trocar2000@hotmail.com. To find out more about Maggie Reed, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

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