THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE across the country will be putting up their Christmas trees this weekend.

If you’re buying a real tree, we’ve got some tips to help you make sure you pick the right one and how to treat it to keep it fresher for longer.

Karen Morton from Killakee Christmas Tree Farm says the first thing you should do is measure the height of the space where you will display the tree as you don’t want to have to trim the top of it to fit the angel or fairy on top.

Morton even suggests bringing a measuring tape when you go to buy a tree and remember to allow for the height of your stand.

She also pointed out that a non-shed variety can save on cleaning up so check if they’re in your area and within your budget.

It’s also a good idea to check the freshness of the tree and find out when it was cut, the fresher the tree the longer it will last.

Morton said, “If there is still sap on the tree it’s freshly cut.

Check the needles are not falling off. Picking a tree still growing at a Christmas Tree farm guarantees freshness. If you do buy a pre-cut tree give the base a fresh cut to prolong the freshness.

Once you buy the tree it’s important to get it into water as soon as possible. Morton recommends getting it into water within eight hours of it being cut.

She said water stands are ideal and make sure there’s always water in the stand.

Read: How civil war in the Ukraine and a late frost in Germany affects a Christmas tree grower in Wicklow>