LITTLE ROCK — There is nothing like the scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree to evoke special memories. When choosing the family Christmas tree, look for three basic things:
Freshness.
A straight stem.
A size that will fit your home.
If buying from a lot where the trees have already been cut, make sure you give the tree a fresh cut, removing an additional inch of trunk, when you bring it home. To make sure it has ample moisture in it, let the tree stand in a bucket of warm water for several hours, or overnight, before bringing it inside and decorating it. Fresh trees dry out quickly indoors, so always keep plenty of fresh water in the stand.
HomeStyle, Pages 37 on 11/27/2010