A Christmas tree, dressed with lights and decorations, is one of the most enduring symbols of the Christmas season.

Not only do families delight in decorating it, they also gather around it to exchange gifts.

When it comes to picking a tree, the choices are almost endless. There’s straight from the book, in green or a rainbow of colors and a variety of styles. And then there’s the Mother Nature special — a real tree, which also comes in a variety of species. For many people, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a real tree.

If this is the year that you decide to put up a real Christmas tree, then Jim Davis, owner of Pik-A-Pine Farms in St. Joseph, and Cory Schweizer, owner of Pine Meadows Tree Farm in Savannah, Mo., have some tips for you.

If you want a really fresh tree, Mr. Davis and Mr. Schweizer say that the freshest Christmas tree you can purchase is one that is standing in the field. Christmas tree lots often cut their trees in late September or October, the men say.

“In the field, you don’t have to worry about it,” Mr. Schweizer says. “It’s a living, growing tree.”

Both Pine Meadows and Pik-A-Pine Farms allow people to choose and cut their own trees. They open the day after Thanksgiving.

Before going to a local tree farm, the National Christmas Tree Association recommends that you measure the ceiling height in the room where the tree will be set up.

“Your eyes don’t want to be bigger than your room,” Mr. Schweizer says.

Most ceilings are 8 to 9 feet high, so a 6- to- 7-foot tree would be the perfect height. To judge the tree’s height in the field, use your own height as a guide.

At a tree farm, the staff can answers questions you may have and will even cut the tree for you. Some farms also have pre-cut trees for purchase. They also will “shake” the tree to remove any loose needles, birds’ nests, etc.

When you get the tree home, Mr. Schweizer says to cut at least a half-inch off the bottom and put the tree in water.

“It will probably take a gallon of water the first night,” Mr. Davis says.

To keep the tree from drying out and shedding its needles, keep it watered. That way you and your family can enjoy your tree throughout the holiday season.

For more information, contact Pine Meadows Tree Farm, 11672 County Road 428 in Savannah, (816) 324-5870 or (816) 324-4641 or log on to www.schweizerorchards.com; Pik-A-Pine Farms, 7533 Ajax Road S.E. in St. Joseph, 279-7690; the National Christmas Tree Association, www.christmastree.org (which features more tips for selecting and caring for your Christmas tree); or the Missouri Christmas Tree Association (which also features tips), http://missourichristmastrees.org.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com.