How to Pick a Fresh Christmas Tree: 4 Expert Tips
There’s nothing like the scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree filling your home during the holidays—but not all trees are created equal when it comes to freshness. The truth is, freshness isn’t just about when the tree was cut. It’s about how the tree has been handled every step of the way between the farm and your living room.
Here are four key tips to make sure you’re bringing home the freshest, most fragrant tree this Christmas season.
1. Water is Everything
Think of your Christmas tree like a giant bouquet—it may be cut, but it’s still a living plant that needs hydration to stay lush and green.
Avoid trees displayed without water. If a tree is standing dry on a lot, it’s already losing moisture fast.
Look for tree lots that keep their trees in water stands and ask how often they refill them.
Just like you wouldn’t buy roses from a dry vase, don’t buy a Christmas tree unless it’s been drinking water.
Pro Tip: Once you bring it home, make a fresh cut at the base and place it immediately in water. A tree can drink up to a gallon of water a day!
2. Shade Matters—Especially in Warm Climates
If you live in the southern U.S. or anywhere with warmer winter temps, sun exposure can ruin a tree fast—even before you buy it.
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Avoid tree lots where trees are baking in direct sunlight.
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A couple of warm days in full sun can push a tree past its permanent wilt point, making it impossible to rehydrate.
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Choose a tree lot where trees are protected in tents or shaded areas, especially those still baled and waiting for display.
3. Use Your Senses—Touch, Bend, Lift
You don’t need to be an expert to spot a fresh tree. Just use your hands:
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Feel the needles—they should be soft, not brittle.
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Bend a twig in half—it should flex and bounce back, not snap.
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Lift the tree—it should feel heavy for its size. A lightweight tree is likely already drying out from the inside.
Pro Tip: Shake the tree gently. A few needles falling is normal—but if it rains needles, it’s past its prime.
4. Buy Direct from a Farmer (Skip the Big Box Stores)
It’s tempting to grab a tree while doing your holiday shopping at a big box store—but those trees often spend more time in shipping yards and distribution centers than on the farm.
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Farm-direct trees are fresher. They go from harvest to lot much faster.
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Support small American farms and get a better product by choosing a local tree lot that sources directly from growers.
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At Santa & Sons, we cut trees weekly and deliver directly to our lots, so you know you’re getting one of the freshest trees in town.
Final Thought
A fresh Christmas tree means fewer dropped needles, a longer-lasting aroma, and a centerpiece your whole family can enjoy through the season. By following these tips—and buying from trusted sources like Santa & Sons—you’ll bring home a tree that truly shines.
Want to skip the guesswork? Order your tree online and we’ll deliver a hand-selected, farm-fresh tree right to your door.