The first snowfall that blankets the outdoors or the first time you hear a favorite jingle on the radio reminds us all of the traditions behind Christmas and the holiday season. A favorite tradition that comes to our mind is decorating a Christmas tree for your home.

We have a few pointers in selecting the perfect Christmas tree.

First consider where the tree will go in your home. Make sure you select a tree that’s the right size for the space. Follow these guidelines:

• 8 foot ceiling:  7.5 foot tall tree
• Bay window with soffit: 6.5 foot tree
• 8 foot to 12 foot cathedral ceiling:  9 foot tree
• Open, winding staircase: 10 foot slim tree
• Window wall:  A slim tree that won’t block light 
• Basement:  6.5 foot tree or tabletop

English Gardens offers both fresh-cut and life-like trees. Fresh-cut trees are good for the environment and the economy. New-growth trees produce oxygen and are a renewable resource. Plus, enjoying the evergreen fragrance can bring back fond child-hood memories. English Gardens carries may popular varieties, grown in Michigan, including:

• Douglas Fir – The traditional Christmas tree, with soft green needles and the famous fragrance that can only be described as Christmas.

• Fraser Fir – A truly beautiful tree with thick branches perfect for large ornaments and a wonderful evergreen fragrance (fun fact: thousands of years ago, evergreen branches were displayed over the front doors of homes during the winter solstice, because their green color promised spring!).

• White Pine – The beautiful long, soft green needles of this tree offer a very unique, full look.

• Cork Bark Fir – A favorite Christmas tree featuring soft blue green needles densely arranged on thick branches.

• Black Hills Spruce – Darker green in color, Black Hills Spruce trees have short needles that are long lasting.

When caring for a fresh-cut tree, keep these tips in mind:

• Before placing your tree in a stand, make at least a one-inch cut to the trunk of the tree, put it in the stand and straighten it. Fill the stand immediately with water.

• Put someone in charge! Every day, monitor the water level in the stand and add water when needed. To be safe, check the water every morning and every evening to make sure the reservoir has not dried out.

• Be sure to keep the tree away from any heat source and turn off the lights on the tree when leaving the house. Placing a tree too close to a fireplace should be avoided, even if you are just trying to make Santa’s commute a bit easier.

• To help preserve your tree, add Prolong Tree Preserve to the water to keep the tree fresh for the season.

• Using a tree disposal bag under the tree will aid in a swift cleanup. English Gardens offers the area’s best selection of life-like Christmas trees. There are many perks to going this route. Here are a few tips: • Life-like trees come in sizes ranging between 4.5 feet to 15 feet tall and widths ranging from slim-profile, 18 to 54 inches wide, to full-profile, 40 to 66 inches wide.

• Tree colors vary just like different species of fresh-cut trees. Tiffany Fir trees are a popular choice, because of their “real feel” polyethylene-tipped branches.

• A pre-lit, life-like tree can save time and makes decorating easier. Lights are available in brilliant LED or traditional incandescent styles. There are even trees with dual-function LED lights that change from clear to multi-colored with a flip of a switch.

English Gardens offers 133 styles of life-like Christmas trees:

• 90 styles of full-size pre-lit trees
• 26 styles of pre-lit giant trees from 9 to 14 feet tall
• 23 styles of pre-lit slim-profile trees
• 38 styles of table-top trees from 2 to 5 feet tall
• 9 styles of pre-lit entrance trees in decorative urns and containers

Keep in mind, English Gardens life-like Christmas trees come with a 10-year warranty on the tree and three-year warranty on the lights!

Whether fresh-cut or life-like, you can’t go wrong with a Christmas tree from English Gardens.