How to Choose a Christmas Tree?
The Holiday season accompanies a lot of fun and jolly activities. The preparations to celebrate the season to the fullest kick off weeks before it arrives. And honestly, that’s where the actual fun is. Going out to buy a Christmas tree is the primary aspect of that amusement because it’s something kids and grownups actively participate in. Amid all this zeal and enthusiasm, you must educate yourself on picking out the best Christmas tree for the festive season.
guide for picking the best tree:
- Allways measure your ceiling height. Its important there is a little bit of room for the star.
- Measure your stand and subtract this from your ceiling height.
- Measure the width of space available for your tree.
- It is allways best to bring your stand with you when buying if you are unsure.
- Ask your seller what type of trees they have, when they were harvested and which types have good needle retention.
- Pick a fir tree that looks the freshest and most appealing.
- Check that the branches and needles look fresh and are firm by firmly holding the foliage.
- Make sure that you have a tree with the right height and width for your home.
- When you have picked the perfect one, saw an inch should be cut off the base to help water intake.
- Purchase a water stand if you don’t have one already.
- Make sure you are watering your tree as soon as you have brought back to your home.
- Place your tree in a cool, well ventilated area and make sure your water stand is regularly topped up with water.
Choosing the ideal tree requires a lot of factors to be considered – from the appropriate location and enough space for displaying to the type of the Christmas tree. In this Christmas tree buying guide, we’ve conducted a detailed analysis on picking out the ideal tree for this year’s Christmas, the one that’ll provide a natural aroma and will last longer. We explore the above points in greater detail below;
1. Choose the Ideal Location
Location matters the most. The sustainability of your Christmas tree greatly depends on the spot you’re placing it. For instance, if you aim to settle it next to the fireplace, it might add a lot to the aura of your place but the tree would die out way before the season arrives. Not to mention the everlasting fire hazard. So, be sure to place it away from heat sources. A room where you can maintain the optimum temperature remains the best fit for your Christmas tree.
2. Evaluate the Dimensions
Evaluation of the space is important since you don’t want to shove your tree in there owing to its great height. Likewise, a too-short tree would give more of a Lilliputian vibe. So be sure to measure the height precisely. As much as we focus on the importance of a water stand, we do remind you to consider the additional height as well that the stand is going to take.
Be sure to leave some inches between the top and ceiling for tree-topping or such ornaments. Furthermore, measure the width of the available. Also, leave some additional space in terms of width to ensure that the tree doesn’t look congested.
3. Choose the Ideal Tree Type
Educate yourself on the type or species of tree you would like to buy. What should I look for when buying a Christmas tree? Below is what you should be looking for when buying a Christmas tree;
Needle Retention
- Though it depends on your preference and the ambiance of your household, the species you might want to prefer is the one with strong and sturdy needles, such as spruce trees.
- But if you have kids, you might want to avoid spruce for its rigidity and go for furs having soft needles gently on your hands. So, better go for fur in this case.
- Whatever the type you choose, make sure its needles are flexible enough to stay intact upon gentle shaking.
Shape and Color
- Once again, the choice of shape and color comes down to your personal liking.
- If you’re more into greenery and want a sufficient natural scent of the tree throughout your home, the trees with the dense branches remain ideal for you.
- But bear in mind that you can’t imply much of the décor upon them as they offer the least space for lights and ornaments.
- If you’re one decoration enthusiast, go for the ones with lots of empty spaces within the branches.
- You may also take some ornaments on the farm to test out the tree right before buying.
popular Types of Christmas Trees
Ask your seller what type of Christmas trees they have, when were they harvested, and how sturdy they are with their needle retention feature. For your convenience, here’ a list of some real Christmas trees with the best needle retention & long-lasting feature:
Noble Fir
- Classic Pyramidal Shape
- Soft, dense, and long-lasting needles
- Light but the evergreen scent
- Ideal for plenty of ornamentation
Nordmann Fir
- Pyramidal shape
- Excellent needle retention; regarded as “non-drop tree”
- A mild yet fresh & citrus scent
- Soft needles; easy to adorn with ornaments
Fraser Fir
- Upward turned sturdy branches
- Strong short needles with green top and silvery bottom
- Subtle & mild scent
- Ideal to adorn with heavy ornaments and lighting
Korean Fir
- Distinctively conical shape
- Light green needles with silvery underside; flexible needles with good retention
- Strong lime scent
- Ideal for subtle lights; but they’re readily adorned with their dense branches.
Which type of Christmas tree lasts longest?
The Noble fir is the best tree for lasting the longest. It is capable of holding its needles better than other types of trees.
4. Look into the Tree’s Freshness
Now that you’re done choosing the perfect tree species, it’s the time you check its freshness on the tree farm or lot.
First and foremost, examine its look from all angles. See if it gives that cool, green & vibe. Also, look for the trunk and make sure it is straight (aside from the trees that readily have crooked trunks). The tree you’re choosing must have healthy foliage; dense enough to cover the trunk and make it invisible to see through the leaves and branches.
Time to test its strength and freshness:
- Gently grab a branch and pull it inwards. Neither should the branch snap nor should the needles break if the tree is deemed fresh.
- You may also bend the needle to see if it snaps or crushes. A broken needle indicates freshness for fir and dullness for pine & spruce. It should also give you an opportunity to look for the scent.
- You can check the needle retention by gently shaking or tapping the trunk of the tree. If it is raining green needles, leave the tree right there and move on to the next one.
- Keep the trunk’s diameter in line with the diameter of your Christmas tree water stand. Better return or replace it rather than trim its sides if you’ve bought an oversized tree.
- Be sure to check the height of the tree and keep it in line with that of your room.
- Once you have brought your tree home, trim the trunk and put it into the tree holding stand.
- Keep constant checks on the water levels and make sure you top it up regularly. A new tree might absorb plenty of water, so it remains prudent to check the water level twice a day.
5. When to buy a Real Christmas Tree?
This is quite an important factor when deciding to select a Christmas tree. If you are a first time customer you should consider the space and room temperature when deciding when to purchase. Regular customers may have traditions on when to bring a tree inside their home and they also have a fairly good idea of how long it will last. If you are unsure it would be best not to buy too early. Each year after your first purchase you can buy a few days earlier. We recommend using a water stand which helps keep your tree fresh for longer and keeps your tree away from direct heating sources. The traditional date to buy a tree is 8th December, so just before or after this date is the best time to choose your tree.
Since we are Christmas tree Growers we harvest regularly keeping a continual fresh stock for our customers when buying. We also keep updates on Facebook for our customers when freshly harvested trees are arriving.
6. Where to pick to perfect tree?
Conclusion
Buying a Christmas tree is indeed an adventurous experience. But these parameters are equally significant to consider, particularly if you’re a first-time buyer. It’s best to have a precise idea of the dimension of your space beforehand. Measure the height of the room you’re going to place your tree in. Look into the list of all the available Christmas tree types and choose the most fitting one. As for its freshness, check the strength of the branches & needles for yourself. It all comes down to “look and smell” when gauging the tree’s age. At Cork Christmas Trees we ensure you’re getting the freshest trees possible.
