Selecting the Perfect Live Christmas Tree: A Complete Guide

When I was growing up, it was a tradition for my grandfather, Alexander, and me to go in search of the perfect live Christmas tree. We’d hop into his pickup truck and head to one of the many tree lots in Pennsylvania. In the blistering cold, we’d circle the tree lot and circle back again, until I had come upon that Christmas tree that just seemed to speak out to me. And it wasn’t always the perfect tree, but it did seem to perfect to me. Gosh, I loved getting my Christmas tree every year. It really became such an important part of my Christmas tradition, as I’m sure it is for your family, as well.

I’ve learned a few secrets and tips to find the Christmas tree that will leave everyone speechless.

Since then, I’ve had…well…let’s just say I’ve had more than thirty Christmas trees and leave it there. Some were too big. Some were too small. Some were dead almost before we brought them home. Some were misshapen and just would not stay straight. And some of the trees left anyone who came to our house saying, “Wow! That’s a really nice tree!”

Over the years, I’ve learned a few secrets and tips to find the Christmas tree that will leave everyone speechless and be the perfect place to hang all of your special Christmas ornaments. This will not be an article that tries to sway you between buying a live Christmas tree or a fake Christmas tree. (I’ll have other articles that compare those two options.) This one is simply for those who know they need to have a real Christmas tree.

In this comprehensive guide to picking out your Christmas tree, I’ll introduce you to:

Christmas tree sizing
Christmas tree types
Selecting a fresh, full tree

I’ll also pepper in some other Christmas tree tips and tricks to help you find the best Christmas tree for you and your family.

How to size a Christmas tree

Make sure that you’re not getting a tree that won’t fit your space but is big enough to hold all of your ornaments. Here are a few things to check before you head out to the Christmas tree lot.

Size up your room

Some questions to ask yourself as you begin to size up the space that will hold your Christmas tree:

Tip #1: Putting a tree by a front window creates outdoor lighting without really being outdoors!

How big is the room that will hold the tree? If the room that will have the tree is full of furniture and is quite small, then you’ll obviously want to make sure you pick something that’s not going to make the room feel overcrowded.
Do you want the tree near a window? Many people like to place their trees near a window facing the front of the house or apartment, so that their tree will be on display for any passersby. It creates a secondary source of outside lighting that doesn’t even require you to go outside.
Will there be space for presents? Even though the Christmas tree may fit perfectly in that corner of the room, will there be space to move around the tree? And don’t forget that you’ll be needing to place presents under it. Make sure you leave room for that special gathering Christmas morning when little hands will be reaching underneath the tree to grab those presents.
What other decorations are going into the room? For many, the Christmas tree is the first item they purchase, even before starting to decorate the rest of the house. Make sure that you know where the stockings are going, for example, before determining where you’ll put the tree.
How wide can the tree be? Remember that you need to be able to walk by the tree, so there’s no point in getting a Christmas tree that will need excessive trimming to make space for you to walk.

Measure your tree stand

Some stands will say how wide the trunk of the tree can be to fit inside of the stand’s base. With others, you’ll have to measure the inside diameter of the stand. Be sure to measure the diameter from the inside base cup to the inside of the base cup; otherwise, you’ll likely have a wrong measurement when you go to the tree lot. Or better yet…bring your entire Christmas tree stand with you to the tree lot. This way you can make sure the trunk of the tree will fit inside.

Tip #2: Take your stand with you to the lot, and make sure the trunk fits inside before you get home!

Another thing to consider about your tree stand is the weight and strength of the stand. Will the tree stand be heavy enough to hold a massive tree? Some trees have narrow trunks but will likely cause your stand to tip over due to the overall weight of the tree. If you want a big tree, then get a nice, sturdy base for it.

Measure from floor to ceiling

Use a tape measurer to measure the distance from the floor to the ceiling in the room that will hold your Christmas tree. THAT IS NOT HOW TALL YOUR TREE SHOULD BE! Remember that you need to leave space for your tree topping (angel, star, etc.) and your tree stand.

Tip #3: Measure from floor to ceiling then use about 75% of that measurement to select the height of your tree. (Adjust for tall tree toppers!)

Take the measurement from floor to ceiling, then subtract the height of your star and tree stand to its base. A good rule is to take the entire measurement and multiply it by 0.75, which means that you’ll take the entire measurement from floor to ceiling and only use 75% of that when selecting your Christmas tree.

Best kinds of trees for Christmas

I’ll cover the major types of firs and pines that are most commonly seen at Christmas tree lots in the US. Not every kind of Christmas tree will be touched on here, but you should know these major types before you go to the lot to spend money (increasingly a lot) on your next Christmas tree.

When thinking about what type of pine tree you want for Christmas, consider a couple of things:

Do you have heavy ornaments? Then make sure you get a tree with good branch strength; otherwise, you’ll have ornaments falling down throughout the holiday season.
When will you buy the tree? If you’re buying the tree around Thanksgiving, then you’re going to want a tree that lasts at least 5-6 weeks. (You’ll also want a very fresh tree.)
How important is the pine scent? If the major reason you still buy a real tree is for the scent, then make sure to get a tree with a great scent!

Tip #4: Ask a tree lot worker which trees are the freshest! Lots get shipments of different types of trees at different periods often, so make sure you’re getting the freshest available trees. And don’t be afraid to ask them to cut open some newly delivered trees!

The last, but maybe most important, thing to look for is freshness. A fresh Christmas tree will definitely trump any of the ratings that I’ve researched above. A fresh Christmas tree will smell better and last longer.

Balsam Fir Christmas Trees

The Balsam fir makes the perfect Christmas tree for its overall shape, longevity (5-6 weeks), and scent. It’s the strongest smelling Christmas tree you can buy. They are widely grown throughout the northern parts of the US and Canada, so they are sold pretty much everywhere in the US and Canada during Christmastime. Its branches are sturdy, but not the sturdiest—so if you have lots of heavy ornaments, then you might consider a Noble or Fraser fir.

Douglas Fir Christmas Trees

Another Christmas classic is the Douglas fir. The Douglas fir is well-known for being bushy and “full”. It also has a great conical shape. It’s a great choice at Christmas for anyone with lots of ornaments (like me). Potential Douglas fir owners should note that they don’t last quite as long as Balsam firs and aren’t quite as strong smelling. This is another widely available Christmas pine that you can find almost anywhere in the northern part of the US.

Fraser Fir Christmas Trees

Fraser firs have a unique look among the major types of pines and firs during Christmas. You’ll know them right away at the Christmas tree lot because they have an almost whitish-blue underside to their branches and have a very sturdy feel. They are great trees if you have lots of heavy ornaments, as even the lowest branches of the Fraser fir can hold some pretty heavy things. The only thing that the Fraser fir lacks is a powerful pine scent that may be important to some. (It still smells like Christmas though…don’t worry!)

Noble Fir Christmas Trees

Tip #5: Go early in the morning to the Christmas tree lot to avoid the crowds that make it hard to enjoy selecting a tree.

People who love Noble firs are firm in their worship of this Christmas tree! And for good reason. It has a great conical shape that’s appealing to those wanting the classic tree shape for their living rooms. You’ll know the Noble fir because it will have a softer, distinctive needle than some of the other major pines and firs available at the Christmas tree lot.

White & Blue Spruce Christmas Trees

While there are some differences between White and Blue Spruces, I’m combining them here because they are similar in the ways that matter to a Christmas tree shopper. They’re a bit rarer in the US due to being grown only in particularly cold climates in Canada. They have a more distinctive look than the other trees on our list, with thick wide needles that droop at the branch. Some prefer the spruce as a Christmas tree for just this reason. In all other aspects, the white and blue spruce make a good choice of tree for Christmas.

White Pine Christmas Tree

White pines have very soft needles and weak branches, so they’re not the best choice for those with heavy ornaments. White pines do, however, have a great conical shape and a distinctive smell, similar to a Scotch Pine. The White Pine is a go-to Christmas tree for families with small children, as the needles will not hurt a toddler’s eyes or skin. You won’t find these everywhere in the US, however.

Getting the Christmas tree home (final notes)

Now that you’ve selected the perfect Christmas tree, here are some final notes to keep in mind.

Ask the Christmas tree lot worker to trim a bit off of the trunk and any bottom branches that won’t fit in your stand. (Trimming a bit off of the trunk, helps it take water—particularly if it’s not very fresh.)
Get the tree home quickly.
Put the tree in water right away. (You don’t want it to dry out.) Do this even if you don’t plan to decorate the tree at first.
Use a helper to get the tree in the stand. Don’t hurt yourself or break anything trying to manhandle a heavy tree!

I hope you found this guide helpful for picking out your tree! Please share your tree with me and my family on Facebook and Twitter!