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 5. To check for freshness you can drop the tree onto it's stump by a few inches. There shouldn't be more than a few needles that fall off. Also you can check how brittle the branches are for another sign. In Calgary, this time of year is cold enough that you can initially store the tree outside and let the cold preserve it until you are ready to bring it in and decorate it.
6. Look for a straight trunk and evenly dispersed branches. Nothing worse than cutting a few inches off the bottom and ending up with a crooked or lopsided tree.
7.Check the tree for possible insects or eggs. You don't want these hatching in your nice warm house.
Cut your own / U Cut Christmas Trees
In Alberta, you can cut up to 3 Christmas trees on Crown Land, providing you have the necessary permit ($5.00). There are a few rules and regulations that go along with that. For more information on this see
http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/forests/managing/treecutting/christmastree.aspx.
Related to the forestry option, the Alberta Junior Forest Wardens run an annual program near Cremona. See their 2007 poster at :
www.albertajfw.ca
Find out more information about the most common North American Christmas Trees at www.christmastree.org
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