With the holidays just around the corner, in preparation for Christmas, celebrators want to have the perfect decorations, including the well-loved Christmas tree itself. However, for those seeking a live Christmas tree, there are many aspects that go into picking out one that will impress friends and family and light up the house with Christmas spirit.
Before going to pick out the tree, there are various measures one has to take to prepare. The first step is to measure the height of the ceiling where the tree will go to know how tall of a tree to buy. The tree should be near an outlet so that the tree can be lit up with beautiful lights!
It’s probably a good idea to get the space cleared and ready before leaving to get the tree, so all is ready when the tree arrives. Now that the house has been prepared, a tree-hunter can get in the car to drive down and get the tree. If the tree is going inside the car, putting black trash bags down will help save on clean up.

The point of a Christmas tree is to decorate the house for a couple of weeks, not to make a dent in the bank account. However, the more quality trees are going to cost more unfortunately. There are several types of trees that are easy to find at your local Home Depot. According to the Home Depot official website, there are over ten different types of trees to choose from and differences are not only visual, but also include scent and branch thickness.

If a person wants a tree with long-lasting needles that will be able to hold even the heaviest of ornaments. and a subtle scent, that person should consider choosing the classic Douglas Fir. However, if someone wants a tree that won’t mess with any sensitive allergies and doesn’t require decorating, the Eastern White Pine is a perfect choice, as it doesn’t have a strong scent and its weak branches and needles won’t support lights or ornaments.

Senior Nicole Garcia said, “My family almost always gets a Douglas Fir because there are a lot to choose from and they are the best for hanging all of our traditional ornaments.” In the event that someone wants an artificial tree to avoid all the mess of needles and allergies, an artificial tree is another option; however, according to the Home Depot website, the quality ones can be pricy, from 300 to 500 dollars.The famous Martha Stewart brand tree is listed to be 450 dollars. Although one may be able to find cheap ones on Ebay, they may not be sufficient enough to uphold all decorations and may not last the entire season without falling apart.

When picking out a live tree from a vendor, make sure to cut off all the strings binding it together (maybe even bring some scissors or use car keys). Then, to check how fresh the tree is, shake out the tree and see how many needles fall. Don’t be alarmed if some needles do fall. That’s perfectly normal; however, if a vast amount of needles fall and they look limp or soft, the tree is probably old and not very fresh. One should also spin the tree around and check to see if there are any huge “bald” spots where needles are obviously scarce, because Christmas trees should be full and luscious in order to decorate later! Lastly, make sure that the tree is evenly colored and is not brown or yellow anywhere; these are signs that the tree is dying or infected, which is not good for holiday spirit.

Once the perfectly-shaped tree is selected, don’t forget to measure it to make sure there will be enough gap between the top of the tree and the ceiling to put a star on top. Once the right tree has been chosen, the end of the trunk should be cut off in order to freshen it up and make it easier for the tree to absorb water. Take it home, get it in water as soon as possible and let the decorating begin.
This Christmas, remember to use these steps to find the perfect tree that will live long and make your Christmas even more festive and enjoyable for the entire family.