Every December (or earlier) millions of people embark on a quest to find the perfect Christmas tree for their condo or house. For some, the search starts the day after Thanksgiving and for others it may be a last minute rush on Christmas Eve. The definition of the perfect tree is a matter of opinion and personal preference and falls somewhere in between Charlie Brown's somewhat pitiful stick with branches and the usually 100 foot stunner that lights up the White House lawn. But with your idea of the perfect tree for you and a little bit of information, you can go out and find a wonderful tree this year, whether it's a real one or artificial.

The tradition of packing up the family and driving out to the nearest Christmas tree farm to tag or cut your own live tree is still a yearly event for a lot of people. But as families become more pressed for time, money and obligations, that tree-hauling adventure has been replaced with buying either pre-cut live trees or artificial ones.

The artificial trees tend to be more popular with older people because of the cost effectiveness (they can be used year after year), they can come pre-lit and they create less mess. Also anyone with limited space may opt for an artificial tree because they come in virtually every shape, size or even color for that matter. In 2001 artificial Christmas trees accounted for about 7.3% of total tree sales. But by 2007 that number had increased to 17.4%. If you do decide to go with an artificial tree, just remember that as with just about everything else in life, you get what you pay for. A $25 artificial tree may sound good at the moment and even look good the first year, but if the branches break and needles start falling off the next time you pull it out of the box, you may wish you had spent a bit more. If you have to keep replacing your artificial tree, then there really is no savings involved.

According to data released by The National Christmas Tree Association, in 2007 there were almost 49 million live trees purchased. Of those, 16% were cut by buyers themselves and nearly 25% were bought from big chain retailers, with Home Depot leading the sales. The rest were bought from garden centers, individual tree lots and other smaller stores. The average cost of a 6 to 7 foot tree from Home Depot is about $30.

Before you begin your tree hunt, you need to know how high the ceiling is in the room you want to display the tree. If it's your first Christmas in a new condo or townhome, you may be especially excited to pick out a tree. But remember that trees always look smaller standing outside in a lot than they will in your living room. Most new Chicago condos or townhomes have 9 to 10 foot ceilings, although many have loftier ones that can stretch to a cathedral height of 20 feet. Many also have floor-to-ceiling windows or balconies and terraces that provide a great spot to put your tree in front of for display. You can check out some of those Chicago condo layouts here And if you have a fireplace, as a lot of town homes do, don’t put the tree close to it.

As for live trees, the varieties can be overwhelming sometimes. Should you drive to a tree farm or buy from the local seller downtown? Are you satisfied with the selection that's already bagged as long as you get that wonderful pine smell? The choice is really up to you, and the most important thing is to get as fresh a tree as possible so it will retain its needles longer and not dry out. And you need to water them every day with fresh water, no additives like sugar or any other supposed remedy to keep the trees fresher longer.

Probably the most popular type of live tree here in the Chicago area is the white pine. This variety has softer needles so you don't get pricked as much while you decorate. Scotch pines are also popular because they have a very full shape, but their needles are sharper and they tend to grow more on whatever side has been facing the southwestern sun exposure so they may be harder to level in a tree stand at home. The Colorado Blue Spruce is another beautiful variety that people may be drawn to, but they don't weather well indoors and are better left for planting in your yard. Fraiser Firs, Canaan Firs, Noble Firs and Balsam Firs are also readily available.

Many growers are also offering live trees with their roots balled in burlap. This is a growing trend with those who want to be eco-friendly because you can then transplant the evergreen in your yard. A few things need to be considered before you go this route though. The tree will have to be in the house decorated for no more than a week, otherwise it will warm up, come out of dormancy and try to grow out of season only to die once you put it outside. You need to keep the ball in a container of moist shredded paper, soil or moss to keep it from drying out. And you have to plan ahead and dig the hole in your yard well before the ground freezes plus store the soil to be put back in someplace where it won't freeze either. The process is a bit more labor intensive, but can give you years of enjoyment and spruce up your lawn. You can even get smaller live trees in containers for your table top.

No matter which type of tree you decided to get this holiday season, the most important thing is to get one you can enjoy and make a memory.