Everything you need to know about Christmas Tree and then some.

A tidbit of background information regarding the origin and tradition of
that Christmas tree you are about to buy and bring home to decorate for the
holidays. The actual tradition of bringing an evergreen tree into the house
and decorating was not tied to any religious event. The oldest record in
Livonia and Germany of an evergreen tree being cut and decorated dates back
to 1605[1][2]. Now that you are a guru of ancient history let us jump
forward to the present and attain modern day information regarding the finer
things in selecting and caring for your purchased tree.

Now onto the more practical aspect of the Christmas tree, the selection and
purchase. To assist you in your decision making I have outlined a few basic
pointers to help your selection.

What type of tree should I buy? This is a matter of your own personal
preference; however, there are some items to consider. Going to a tree farm
and cutting your own, you know when it was cut. Buying a tree from a local
small tree farm, you can ask when it was cut.

Before you hand over that hard earned cash consider who is selling the
trees. Where did they get them? Those large corner lots with lots of
trees, probably came from a very large tree farm and shipped to various
retail locations throughout different states. Remember large tree farms
have to cut the tree weeks in advance of the ship date to fulfill their
orders.

Examine the tree closely. Take a needle and bend it. If it is still
pliable, if so, chances are it is fairly fresh. Another way to check is to
grasp a branch and pull it away from the tree. Did any or many needles come
off. If it sheds green needles on a sales lot it is too dry. Walk away.

A Rule of Thumb: Christmas trees with longer needles, like White Pine of
 Spruce Pine tend to hold their needs longer before they start shedding.
Your short needled trees like Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce and Douglas Fir.
Of the short needled variety, Douglas Fir holds it's needles much better
than the other short needled trees.

You have made your decision, now you must take care of the tree before you
bring it inside.

If you purchased the tree really close to home, tie it down and carefully go
home. However, if you are any distance from home, you should wrap it a tarp
or Christmas tree bag for the trip home. This reduces moisture loss from
the tree. Your prime objective is to keep the tree moist as much as
possible before bringing it inside. If you are not planning on bringing the
tree into the house immediately, make sure to set it into a container with a
least 6 inches of water. Keep it out of direct sunlight.

When the Christmas tree is first cut, the fresh cut is sealed with sap and
the longer the tree is cut, the more sealed the bottom becomes until the
tree is unable to absorb water. It is imperative that you cut approximately
1 inch off the base of the tree and immediately put the tree in water. Make
sure the cut is straight across and not at an angle.

Care and maintenance of your tree indoors.

Once you have your tree indoors, make sure there is sufficient water in the
stand. This should be checked daily; particularly, the first few days
because the tree will really absorb a lot of water. Do not place your tree
in the home where it will receive direct sunlight or in front of a heat
register where it will have hot air blowing on it.

Remember the warm air in your home is trying to pull moisture from the tree.
Keep the tree hydrated. If you have the opportunity to place a portable
humidifier in the same room as the tree, it will help to keep your tree
healthier longer.

For safety, use cool lights on your Christmas tree and never leave the
lights on when you are not home.

Follow the above few simple suggestions and you'll have a tree that you and
yours will enjoy well into the next year.

Buy your trees from our tree nursery.