Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought in and decorated till the 24th of December, then were taken down twelve days later, on the 5th of January. However, in recent years, people have started putting up their trees earlier and taking them down later. Some trees even go up as early as late November. Expecting your tree to last such a long period of time can be optimistic. This is possibly why many people now opt for an artificial tree. But if you are like me, a lover of the real thing, fear not, there are a few ways you can extend the life of your tree.

Ideally, I would recommend buying your Christmas tree from a tree farm as you can guarantee your tree will be freshly cut. However, this is not always possible. So when buying Firstly make sure you examine it. Run your fingers through the branches, if the needles fallout too easily the tree is probably past its prime. Also try to avoid buying a tree with a large number of brown branches, as this indicates an older tree and will not last as long.

Although a Christmas tree looks fabulous next to a fire, this is very drying and will cause your tree to prematurely age. So avoid placing your tree next to any heat source.

Finally, I would recommend watering your Christmas tree. Not only will the tree last longer, but the number of needles the tree produces will be dramatically reduced.