Why some New Jerseyans shove tampons up their Christmas tree

I'll be honest with you. I've never, ever heard of this strange practice until this year. But some people swear by it.

Before I get into this whacky thing with tampons, let's first talk about Christmas trees since, well, that's what this is about. First, the contrast between a fake and a real one.

It's a debate that's been going on for a long time now as to which is the better choice for the holiday season. Is it smarter to stick with the simplicity of a fake tree, or go with the tradition of a real one?

Fake trees are nice simply because there's no maintenance with them. You don't have to water them, nor do you have to worry about needles shedding.

On the flip side, there's just something about having a real tree in the living room for Christmas. The downside of this is, of course, that the tree will dry out all throughout the holiday season.

And that's where the whacky methods come into play. Ones that some people swear by that'll keep that Christmas tree alive even longer than water can do.

One of those methods involves tampons. It might sound strange because, well, it is. But one family member of mine flat-out believes in this method and that it really works.

But how? And are there any other methods some insist work on helping keep that tree alive for longer?

Let's take a look at a few of those whacky methods, including the one that involves tampons. Afterward, feel free to share your thoughts on this in the comments.

Do you swear by any of these methods, or do any of these leave you scratching your head? Or, do you do anything different that you believe helps prevent your tree from drying out too quickly?

Let's check it out.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.