In most English-speaking countries, there are no shortages of places to buy Christmas trees when the season rolls around. Miniature farms full of trees pop up in parking lots all over the cities sometime around Thanksgiving. Bigger lots generally have more variety, but they may also command bigger prices. Shop around, for the perfect tree.

Occasionally, the trees on a pre-cut lot are actually the tops of big trees that were removed and are now being sold as Christmas trees. This wouldn't necessarily be a problem, if it weren't for the fact that a lot of these 'trees' have giant trunks that won't fit in conventional tree stands. So, check to make sure yours will.

Tree farms are a great place to get your tree, and make a whole day of the experience. Some people aren't able to make use of them, but if you can, you should consider it. There are Christmas tree farms within an hour of most major cities, even though people may not know about them. Use the internet and look up a few in your area.

When purchasing a tree from anywhere, make sure that it is a good green color all over. A small patch of a few dead needles is sometimes unavoidable, but there shouldn't be big patches. When choosing the height of the tree, remember that if you're at a farm, the tree will lose at least six inches and possibly more, once you've cut it.

When you get home, get your Christmas trees in water as soon as possible. Sugar and other additives will not help your tree, so don't bother with them. If you leave the tree out of water for more than a few hours, trim the base a little shorter before putting it in water, so that the tree can absorb it freely. Decorate in your preferred method, and enjoy.