Nothing heralds the arrival of Christmas like the Christmas tree. We pick it, drag it home, and hoist up inside our houses before covering it with tinsel, garland, and family heirlooms; it's our symbol of the holiday spirit – that which we gather beneath to open gifts or gather around to share stories and the company of our friends and families.



The tradition of the Christmas tree came to us from 16th century Germany, where Christians celebrated the holiday by bringing trees into the home, a custom that did not take root in the United States until well into the 19th century. With the arrival of more and more German immigrants into the U.S., the decorating of the Christmas tree also evolved over time as well. While some families would decorate their Christmas tree with homemade ornaments, others would use fruit, nuts, and even cookies to adorn their trees.

Today, the tradition of the annual Christmas tree is a sacred one from family to family. Many a yearly custom is built around the purchase and decoration of the family Christmas tree. The ways to acquire a tree vary from family to family; some visit Christmas tree farms where they can hunt and tag their tree early in the season before returning to pick it up closer to the holidays; others make it a family outing just days before Christmas; still others have access to land where they can find and take down their own Christmas tree.

Where you choose to find your Christmas tree depends largely on type of tree desired and budget. The Christmas tree farms where you are permitted to tag your tree early on usually carry the more expensive trees; you will find them tall, large, and sturdy. Equally sturdy trees – but perhaps without the durability and longevity of the trees with a higher quality lineage – will come at a far lesser price. Obviously finding your own Christmas tree on land that you have access to will cost you nothing but time. But most of us don't have access to such a thing.

Always keep size in mind when hunting the perfect Christmas tree. Ceiling height is of the most importance; as beautiful as the larger trees are, it means nothing if you can't fit it in your house – or even through your door.

Ultimately, the Christmas tree doesn't matter. Rather, it's the gathering around the Christmas tree that is most important. Find the tree that your family loves and get ready to celebrate the holidays in style!