There can be no Christmas without a beautifully decorated fir tree. According to history, the tradition of decorating trees in winter precedes the birth of Christ. The Romans were known to have decorated trees with metal during a winter festival that honoured Saturnus, the god of agriculture. According to myth, a paradise tree was decorated with apples to celebrate the feast of Adam and Eve on December 24. Folklore describes how Martin Luther, to share his experience in an evergreen forest, brought a tree home to his family and decorated it with candles.

The very first tree was decorated for Christmas in Latvia in 1510, and the earliest written record of a decorated tree is from a diary dated 1605, from an area which was in Germany but is now a part of France. It was apparently decorated with apples, candles, and candies. In the US, the first Christmas tree retail lot was established by Mark Carr in New York in 1851; prior to this all trees came from the forests.

Now around thirty-six million trees are grown every year for sale at Christmas. And, in the US, the states of Oregon, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Washington are the leaders. Among the firs that we popularly term as Christmas trees are the Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, and White pine.

Christmas trees introduce magic into the home, and spread happiness, peace, and joy. Select a tree with care. Be sure to measure the space where your tree will stand so that you don’t buy one too big or too small. Choose a fresh tree, one that is lush and green with just a hint of brown pine needles. The needles should be resilient to the touch, and not fall off. If you shake or drop the tree only a few needles should fall. Buy a tree that has a straight trunk. Most farms offer to blow the trees before you take it home, to get rid of loose needles. Take home a cleaned and netted tree –it is easier to handle.

Learn all about how to care for the tree and remember: for each tree cut and taken home at least three must be planted. Decorate the tree with love and care, involve all the family members—it promotes togetherness.

A few tips are: to keep the tree fresh and green, ensure that it has sufficient fresh water; use lights that are soft and will not heat the tree or burn its leaves; put the lights on first and then the garlands or streamers; use ornaments that represent every member of your home, even ancestors; if you are artistic make your own ornaments; use natural materials and sparkle that does not contain any lead. Christmas is a tradition: use an heirloom for the tip of the tree, like a star or angel.

Be a good citizen and keep the tree away from an open fire or appliances. Keep streamers and tinsel away from light sockets, always check the lights before use and buy light strings that are approved by the Underwriters’ Laboratories. Be sure not to overload the electric circuit and endanger the lives of family members over the holidays. Above all, recycle the tree.