DECORATING : Go for the Green (Tree) at Christmas

“O Christmas tree, thy leaves are green forever.” Well, maybe not forever, but you can keep your tree green longer if you chose it carefully and keep the water flowing to its thirsty needles.

Start by picking a fresh tree that will last through the holidays, advises Cindy Becker, spokesperson for the National Christmas Tree Assn., in Milwaukee, Wis. Two freshness hints: a forest-fresh fragrance and a rich green color. Beyond that, Becker suggests two easy tests:

First, run your fingers along a branch, about six inches from the tip. Needles should stick to the branch and not fall off in your hand. Next, hold the tree a couple of inches from the ground and let it drop, stump end first. Only a few of the outside green needles should fall off (inside needles do turn brown and shed naturally).

It’s best to buy a tree that comfortably fits the spot where it’ll stand over the holidays. However, it won’t hurt to improve the fit by snipping the ends off ragged or overly long branches.

When you get your tree home, cut at least one-quarter-inch off the bottom of the trunk. That removes the sappy seal capping the trunk so the tree can start absorbing water. “Making that cut is the key to keeping your tree fresh,” Becker says.

Put your tree in a water-holding container or stand immediately, even if it’s going to be a few days before you’re ready to set it up and decorate it.

And make sure to keep the container filled with water (a Christmas tree can absorb up to a gallon in the first 24 hours).

If your tree goes dry, it may lose its ability to absorb moisture by the time you remember to add water again.

“It’s like a bouquet of flowers,” Becker says. “Once your tree stops absorbing water, there’s not much that you can do to revive it.”

Don’t bother adding a preservative to the water. Though additives ranging from corn syrup to aspirin have been touted as making trees last longer, there’s no evidence that they actually help.