Hopefully by now you have fully digested your turkey and dressing. So now is the time to pick out and put up a Christmas tree, but what's the best way to do it?  I recently spoke with Shane Smith who is the Director of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, and we had a discussion about Christmas Trees. Today on the Top 5 at 7:45, I'll highlight some things to think about before rushing out and purchasing a Christmas tree.

  1. What Kind Of Tree - Pine Evergreens, Spruce and Fir are the most common Christmas Trees, however Fir has the nicer aroma.
  2. Measure Your Ceiling - Trees come in all kinds of heights and you don't want to pay for an 8 foot tree, because it is "the one" and then get it home and have to cut 2 feet off because you have a 6 1/2 foot ceiling.
  3. Make Sure It's Fresh - Some trees were possibly harvested a few months ago and have been shipped and stored for a month or two. A few ways to test the tree for freshness is to run your fingers along the branches or shake it. If a lot of needles start hitting the ground, then you may want to move on to another tree or another Christmas Tree Lot for that matter.
  4. A Fresh Cut Off The Bottom - You should only cut the 2 inches off the bottom of a tree IF you are going to put that tree up when you get home. If you're not going to place the tree within an hour or two of the cut, then wait until you are ready to actually put the tree in the stand before cutting. Otherwise you are wasting part of your tree and will need to cut it again.
  5. The Base - Make sure your tree has a straight base and at least 6 inches long, so that it will fit in the tree stand. If not, you'll end up taking some of the bottom branches off the trunk to accommodate.

The Top 5 at 7:45 airs weekdays with me, Gary Freeman and sponsored by First Education Federal Credit Union

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