Christmas is coming and we have all started preparing. Christmas trees, tree decorations, food and presents... Christmas fever has caught us all. The central element in all this fuss is evidently the tree.

Natural or artificial?

First you have to decide if you want a natural or artificial Christmas tree. Unlike the artificial kind, the natural trees have all kinds of inconvenients: hard to maintain (it must be watered), hard to clean up and it represents an investment every year.

Even with all this, most people prefer natural trees. It's simple - only these can offer a true Christmas atmosphere. Their aroma and their presence can transform a house into a warm home that welcomes you everytime.

Tree measurements

You have to decide where you will place your Christmas tree. Think good about a place where you don't go through very much as this will get annoying very fast. Also, extremely important - never place the tree close to a heating source or you might end up spending your Christmas in a hotel. After you've chosen a place measure it and go shopping.

Looking for the perfect Christmas tree

Don't forget to take a measuring tape with you when you go out shopping. You'll need it to measure the tree to make sure that it fits into the place you have chosen for it. Other things you want to look for are the freshness of the tree, size of the needles and distance between the branches.

* distance between the branches - pick a tree that has enough space between it's branches to hang the usual Christmas decorations
* size of the needles - a tree that has short needles will have tougher branches and its needles will fall less than from other trees.
* freshness - the freshness is very important if you want the tree to last longer, even after New Year's celebrations. You can check the freshness by pulling some needles from the branches - the harder they fall the fresher the tree is.

Christmas tree support

After you buy the tree measure its trunk and go shopping for a tree support. It is best to choose a support with adjustable height. Considering that trees are almost always not perfectly round you'll have to borrow or buy an axe to adjust the trunk so it fits the support.

Now that you have chosen your perfect Christmas tree all you have to do is decorate it and enjoy your best holidays yet!