Where Are You Buying Your Christmas Tree?

The first weekend in December is here, and already people are driving around Berkeley with Christmas trees tied to the top of their cars.   

Finding the perfect Christmas tree depends on personal taste — some prefer a fresh conifer, while others opt for a fake tree that can be stashed in the attic and re-used each year. Bad artificial trees can look cheap, betraying their plastic parts and getting bent out of shape. But some fake trees can look just as good as the real thing. 

Fresh trees look and smell great, but also tend to dry up, leaving a carpet of pine needles. Buying a fresh tree can be a daunting task — but the expertise of good retailers can help. 

Here are some tips from the National Christmas Tree Association on choosing a real tree from a lot:

1. Be sure you know what size (height and width) you need before heading to the retail lot.
2. If you want the same species you know or have always used, great. If you want to try a different species, browse the NCTA website to become familiar with the species popular in your area before heading to the retail lot.
3. Go to a retail lot that is well-lit and stores trees in a shaded area.
4. Often, a tree obtained soon after its arrival on the retail lot will be very fresh because it was cut recently. Consumers should ask the retailer when he/she gets the trees: are they delivered once at the beginning of the season, or does he/she obtain several shipments during the season.
5. Run a branch through your enclosed hand - the needles should not come off easily.
6. Bend the outer branches - they should be pliable. If they are brittle and snap easily, the tree is too dry.
7. Look for other indicators of dryness or deterioration: excessive needle loss, discolored foliage, musty odor, needle pliability, and wrinkled bark. A good rule-of-thumb is, when in doubt about the freshness of a tree, select another one. If none of the trees on the lot look fresh, go to another lot.
8. Some species last longer and remain fresh longer than others in different climates. Ask your retailer which tree performs best in your climate.
9. Ask the retailer about recycling Christmas Trees in your community.
10. Involve the whole family in the selecting and plan fun things for everyone to do during the trip.

Where did you find your Christmas tree? Do you prefer real or artificial? Let us know in the comments. Share pictures of your tree by clicking "add photos & video" below.