The expert's guide to choosing the right Christmas tree (2024)

FAQs

How do you pick the right Christmas tree? ›

The fresh Christmas tree should be a healthy green color. When you run your hand along the branch of the tree, the needles should hold fast and be flexible. A real Christmas tree with stiff, brittle needles is too dry and will turn brown and drop needles very quickly.

Number of baubles: (17 x pi) then multiply by tree hight in cm. Length of lights in cm: pi multiplied by tree hight in cm. Height of star in cm: tree height in cm divided by 10.

Traditionally, the Christmas tree should stay up until the 'Twelfth Night' (more on this, and the exact date of when that is, below). In modern times, however, Christmas decorations have got bigger and twinklier and spread all over the inside and outside of our homes.

Needles – Short and sharp to touch. Classic needle dropper. Aroma – Long-lasting resinous aroma. Shape – Wonderful shape with an abundance of branches that are perfect for smaller, delicate ornaments.

Balsam fir has long been a preferred species for many consumers because of its strong Christmas tree scent. It has dark green needles and excellent form.

“There is an ideal baubles-to-lights ratio we adopt: about 75 ornaments per foot. Since trees are wider at the bottom than the top, there will be more ornaments placed toward the base than there will be at the top,” says Jerry Bowlen, Bellagio's executive director of horticulture.

“We hope the formulas will play a part in making Christmas that little bit easier for everyone.” The "treegonometric" formulas are as follows: Number of baubles = √17 / 20 x (tree height in cms)

A corner near the sitting area or even the center of the room make excellent Christmas tree placements to help create a cozy and cheery ambience. If you have limited space, choose a slim or flatback Christmas tree for a small living room.

A 7ft tree may be too tall for a room with a standard 8ft ceiling, while a 6ft tree should fit comfortably. Living room: Consider the size of your living room and the other furniture in the space. A 7ft tree may be too large if you have a lot of furniture or a small living room.

According to experts in the field of interior design and holiday decorating, the ideal height for a Christmas tree in a room with a 12-foot ceiling is around 9-10 feet.

What is the Christmas tree option strategy? ›

A Christmas tree is an options spread strategy that involves 6 call (or put) options: buying one ATM call (put) selling 3x calls (puts) two strikes out of the money and then buy 2x more call (put) three strikes out of the money.

January 6 is known as the Epiphany, Little Christmas or Three Kings Day. From the perspective of religion tradition, it's the day that the Magi (the Three Kings or the Wise Men) brought gifts to the infant Jesus, so it makes sense for many to mark this as the last day for the Christmas season.

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not … (Jeremiah 10:1-5; kjv).

Consider Where You'll Display It

Before you buy your evergreen, it's important to decide where you'll display it, as its location will dictate the width and height of the tree you buy. For example, if you're putting it in a room with higher ceilings, you can consider purchasing a taller tree.

Check the Tree's Freshness

To find the best Christmas tree that will last the longest, gently grab the inside of a branch and pull your hand toward you. The needles should stay on the tree. Alternatively, gently tap the cut end of a tree on the ground; if a few needles fall off, it should be fine.

Tree selection criteria for vigorous high value trees

The criteria used for determining which individual trees to cut or leave are usually based upon their crown characteristics. Since the green needles are the food producing part of the tree, the more needles a tree has, the better the growth rates will be.