Tips For Illinois Homeowners to Keep Your Real Christmas Tree Fresh All Season

Have you put your Christmas tree up yet? Will you be going with a live or fake tree? If you're leaning towards live, here are some important things you need to know before you buy one.

Christmas Trees: Live vs. Artificial

I love Christmas trees. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I have one in almost every room … and even one on my deck. Tall ones, big ones, skinny ones, fat ones, I love them all, and I have them all...but sadly, every single one in my home is artificial.

I think most people, including myself, would agree that nothing can replace the smell and look of a live Christmas tree. But, when you have a home full of pets and kids, live trees can be one heck of a headache. So, my husband and I were forced to switch to all artificial trees several years ago.

Picking out and cutting down the perfect Christmas tree is a beloved tradition for so many families in Illinois, and if this is the first year you will be doing it, here are some important things you need to know.

Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Live Christmas Tree

Before I became the crazy fake tree lady, I learned some vital tricks that will prolong the beauty of your tree. Here are three of the most important ones.

1. Make sure you check the water level EVERY DAY. Live trees will suck up a lot of water the first week or so after they are cut, so don't be surprised if you're filling it often.

2. Always do a second cut on your tree trunk. Making a second cut on your tree trunk is really important if you bought a pre-cut tree as opposed to cutting it down yourself. Having a fresh cut on the trunk when you put it in the tree stand will prolong the freshness of the tree.

3. Trees with shorter needles usually last longer and make less mess. Short-needled trees may cost more, but provide fewer headaches, which is totally worth it to me.

How to Save Money on a Live Christmas Tree

Sticker shock can be real when it comes to buying a live Christmas tree. Here are two money-saving tips I found from bestlifeonline.com;

Trees are cheaper if you buy then in mid-December.

Trees with a broken top are cheaper. If you put a big star or bow on your tree that covers most of the top anyway, a less-than-perfect tree could be a lifesaver for your wallet.

Your tree doesn't need fancy hydration products. Plain water is the best thing for your tree. The hydration products sold at a lot of stores contain additives that can actually do more harm to your tree than good.