Hung (and Stored) With Care

(Lowe's Cos.)

One joy of Christmas is how every ornament, angel and Santa can bring back memories of Christmas past. Less joyful is lifting a toppled tree off a terrified child amid broken decorations (speaking from experience) or opening a box to find ornaments cracked or crushed. Yet preserving those Christmas treasures and the memories they hold requires just a few simple steps.

Protecting

---

First, stabilize the tree. More ornaments are lost through tree disasters than any other way, so a sturdy setup is the single best preservation strategy. Pete McCloskey of Strosniders Hardware in Potomac says that every year couples come in fighting over whose fault it is that their tree fell over and destroyed dozens of their ornaments. This is why tree stands are so important. McCloskey recommends the Swivel-Straight Tree Stand, which he calls the "marriage saver." It can secure a 12-foot tree weighing 120 pounds. People with children, pets or reveling relatives might consider further stabilizing the tree with monofilament 100-pound fishing line. Because most trees rest in corners, loop two separate fishing lines around your tree (approximately a third of the way down) and secure to hooks on opposing corner walls.

Ornaments should also be fastened firmly on the tree. Steel wire hooks in the shape of an 'S' are best for heavier ornaments; use needle-nose pliers to tighten the hold, unless your hands are really strong. Thin floral wire, available at craft or flower shops, is sufficient for lighter baubles. Attach dough ornaments using a thin ribbon tied snugly around the ornament and looped around the tree bough.

Creches, angels and Santas displayed elsewhere in the room need protection from extreme temperatures, dogs and young children. The fireplace mantle is hard on treasured ornaments; heat and soot can damage the paint and wood on delicate hand-painted figures. The same is true of decorations on which glitter and other accessories have been glued. Heat can literally unglue them. These are best displayed in indirect light away from the fireplace. Glass ornaments are fine on a mantle, along with fresh greenery and candles.

Wooden decorations, such as Nativity scenes, Santas and angels, get added protection from a gentle application of paste wax, following instructions on the can. Avoid waxes with toluene or xylene.

Glass and fancy ornaments can be gently cleaned with a cotton swab moistened with distilled water. Never immerse the ornament in water. Dry it with a hair dryer on the low/cool setting; hold the dryer at least a foot away and gently dry the surface. Fragile pieces can be dusted with a spray can of compressed air, often used to clean keyboards and other electronics; this is available at computer stores.

Cookie or salt-dough ornaments are feasts for critters large and small. For preservation, they should be sprayed with a clear acrylic varnish, available at hardware stores. First, remove hooks or ribbons and dust with a gentle spray of compressed air, holding the can upright and at least one foot away. Then spray one side with varnish, wait till it dries and spray the other side. If varnish closes the opening for a hook or ribbon, use a sewing needle to reopen it while the varnish is still wet.

Storing

---

Remove all ornament hooks and store these separately. Next, dust ornaments using compressed air, as described above.

Food-based ornaments should be wrapped in acid-free tissue and enclosed in a sealable, archival-grade plastic bag. Include a small packet of Ageless oxygen scavenger, which removes oxygen, and silica gel, which removes moisture. (These supplies are available at Gaylord Brothers, http://www.gaylord.com/ , a site for archival supplies and storage products.) Place this bag in a second sealable plastic bag. Large, sturdy, plastic storage tubs, such as those from Rubbermaid or Tupperware, are ideal for holding most ornaments. Line them first with soft packaging material for cushioning.

Particularly fragile items should be stored in their original containers, then the boxes placed in a plastic sealable tub. If the boxes are missing, wrap the piece in acid-free tissue, using several layers, and place in a plastic tub. Place heavy ornaments at the bottom and lighter ones on top. Egg cartons lined with acid-free tissue paper are perfect for holding tiny ornaments inside the bigger tub.

Ornaments can be damaged by extreme environmental fluctuations, so special keepsakes should be stored on a closet shelf away from furnaces or other sources of heat, water lines or air ducts. If you must store them in your basement, put them high on shelves and control moisture with a dehumidifier.

Minimize tangling of strings of lights by wrapping strings around paper towel tubes or the boxes they came in to store them for next year.

Stockings made of yarn or fabric should be cleaned following their care instructions, then stuffed and wrapped with acid-free tissue; store in a polyester pillowcase or in an acid-free archival box.

A final note: For decorations that hold special family memories, consider writing down the story behind the item (ideally using India ink and good linen paper) and include this, along with a photograph of the item, in an archival zipper-lock bag. Stories lost are often lost forever: One family we know has a hand-painted wooden Nativity scene brought from the "old country." But no one remembers how this treasure came into the family, or why great-great-grandmother chose to carry it, rather than something else, to America.

Writer and collector Louisa Jaggar and Smithsonian senior conservator Don Williams are authors of the book "Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms and Other Prize Possessions" (Fireside Press, 2005). www.savingstuff.com .