If you’ve just bought a Christmas tree, it’s likely that you’re now wondering how to keep it fresh. You don’t want it dying before Christmas is over! Or even worse, you don’t want it drying out and becoming a fire hazard! Luckily, there are several different things you can do to keep the tree green and fresh for the entire holiday season.

How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh

1. Make a Fresh Cut

A wonderful way to keep your Christmas tree fresh is to make a fresh cut as soon as you get it. Take about 1 inch off the base of the trunk to improve the tree’s water uptake. You don’t need to do this if you cut the tree down fresh from a tree farm. But if you bought it at a tree lot, it could have been weeks since it was cut, so a fresh cut is very beneficial!

2. Keep The Tree Watered

It’s important to keep a Christmas tree watered if you want it to stay fresh. This will reduce the number of needles dropped, and will reduce the risk of the tree drying out and becoming a fire hazard. Try to make a habit of adding a little water every morning or evening. If you know you’ll forget, consider getting a Christmas tree watering device like the Tree Nanny, which will alert you when the water is low.

3. Keep Your Tree Away from Heat Sources

If you want to keep your Christmas tree fresh, you need to keep it away from heat. Don’t place the tree next to a fireplace, vent, or space heater. Doing so will lead to the tree drying out quickly and possibly becoming a fire hazard.

4. Use Cooler Lights

Did you know that the lights on your tree could be drying it out? If you use regular incandescent Christmas lights, the heat from the bulbs can dry out a tree over time. To keep your Christmas tree fresh longer, consider getting LED lights instead. They use less energy and are cooler to the touch, reducing the heat strain on your tree.

5. Keep Your Tree Away from Sunlight

Sunlight is usually good for plants. It is not, however, good for a cut Christmas tree. The sun can actually act like a heat source, and dry the tree out quicker. If you want people to be able to see your tree from the road, but your window lets in a lot of sun, consider placing your tree at one side of the window rather than in the center. This will allow people to see it, while reducing how much direct sunlight reaches it.

6. Use a Humidifier

If you really want to keep your Christmas tree fresh, you may want to consider getting a humidifier to put next to the tree. The humidifier will ensure that the tree never sits in a dry environment, allowing it to stay fresh for much longer.

How long does your Christmas tree tend to last?