Christmas Tree Safety: How to Keep Your Tree Green and Fresh

A Christmas tree is one of the most enduring symbols of the holiday season. Many families look forward with great anticipation to the annual ritual of selecting the perfect tree to get their holidays off to a perfect start. Choosing the right tree is a great opportunity to create wonderful memories for your family. However, having a live Christmas tree in your home can pose a safety hazard if you are not careful. Here are a few tips to follow to make sure that your beautiful Christmas tree stays green and fresh throughout the season.

Be sure that your Christmas tree is still living when you purchase it. Ideally, you would visit a farm and cut the tree yourself, but if you purchase a tree from a lot you'll want to make sure it's still alive by running your fingers along the needles. If the needles come off easily in your hand, then that tree is most likely dead. Find a tree that is still supple and green and not brittle. Shake the tree gently and watch to see if any needles flutter to the ground. A live tree will also have wet sap in the area of the trunk where it was cut.

Measure the trunk of the tree to make sure that it will fit in your tree stand. Choose a tree stand with a wide base to provide a solid foundation. Cut about two inches off of the end of the trunk, and then make a few cross hatch cuts to allow more surface area for water to be absorbed by the trunk. After you get your tree set up in the stand, keep a jug of water close by so that you can add water to the base throughout the day. Remind family members to add water when the tree needs it. A larger tree may absorb up to a gallon of water a day, so keep re-filling that tree stand with water.

Place your Christmas tree in a location that is as far away from heating sources, candles or any open flame. Keep your tree in the coolest location you can find. Also try to find a spot where it will not block the flow of people moving around the room, so that it's less likely to be knocked over.

When decorating your Christmas tree choose indoor lighting and make sure that the cords and bulbs are in good condition. Never use lit candles to decorate your tree. Be sure to turn the lights off at night when you go to bed and when you leave the house.

Finally, when the holidays are over be sure to remove the tree from your home as quickly as possible. Many cities have organized Christmas tree recycling programs with scheduled days for picking up the trees along with trash pickup. Check your city's web site for details.

An important thing to remember is that a Christmas tree is a living thing. Your challenge is to keep it alive and green for as long as you can once you have brought it into your home. So, keep your tree moist. Once the tree begins to die and get brittle, the fire hazard it poses grows more serious. Following these tips will help to ensure that this beautiful symbol of the Christmas holiday will not jeopardize your family's safety.