How to Select a Fresh Tree and Keep it That Way, Plus Other Holiday Safety Tips

Five Tips for Selecting a Fresh Christmas Tree and Keeping it That Way

Here are a handful of simple but important steps you can take to make sure the tree you buy is fresh to start with and stays that way as long as possible.

Of course we all love the festivities of the holiday season, however some of these same holiday traditions can increase the risk of a fire in our home. There are several reasons for this: We bring combustibles indoors in the form of trees, greenery and decorations. Open flames from candles and fireplaces create additional dangers. We cook more -- a major factor, since most home fires start in the kitchen. Also, our attention is focused on our friends and family and it's easy to become unaware of increased hazards.  Here are some simple things to be aware of and suggestions for making our homes fire safe during the holidays.

A Dry Tree Can Burn Explosively.  We hear all the time how overly dry Christmas trees can, once ignited, burn with unbelievable speed and ferocity. If you have any doubts, take a look at this video clip to see what can happen in less than thirty seconds.