When December rolls around, Utah families face the daunting decision of purchasing a Christmas tree. Do they buy artificial or real, flocked, pine or fir? How much should they spend? What trees will last the longest? And how did all this yule tree business get started?

Origins » Some say the practice of putting evergreens in homes dates back to pagan times when either evergreens or their boughs came into homes to celebrate the Winter Solstice, a fact that some Christian denominations have used to ban Christmas trees. Others give credit to the Norse tradition of the Great Tree of Life. Many Christians credit St. Boniface, a Benedictine monk, with starting the practice in 722 when he cut a giant oak, only to have an evergreen spring up. Others say Martin Luther began the tradition, though some historians dispute that because the first record of Germans decorating holiday trees came 60 years after his death.

Fresh or fake? » People who sell Christmas trees such as Ben Hall, the manager of Western Gardens in Salt Lake City, must adapt to changes in a market that generates big dollars for many stores and independent lot salespeople. These days, he said younger families prefer fresh-cut trees while older folks and environmentalists opt for artificial varieties. Flocked trees are out of style to the point where finding one can be difficult.

Fresh-cut tree types » Most trees purchased for the Utah market are cut as close to Thanksgiving weekend as possible. Here are the most common fresh tree varieties for sale:

Subalpine fir » One of the two most popular tree varieties. Tall, thin and more open, subalpine firs are usually cut in the mountains of Montana or eastern Utah and hold their needles longer.

Fraser fir » Another popular tree variety. Grown as a crop that is shaped, fertilized and watered in forests in Washington and Oregon. It holds needles longer than other tree varieties.

Noble fir » A sturdy, elegant tree with a classic Christmas tree shape that can grow up to 200 feet tall in the wild.

Grand fir » A tree that is a little more open than a Noble fir and gets its name because it reaches heights of 300 feet, making it one of the tallest members of the fir family.

Jack pine » This tree variety has longer needles. It is the smallest of three native pines.

Pinyon pine » Though on the short and fat side, this tree variety is among the most fragrant.

How much will you spend? » Those who want to purchase a fresh tree this year can expect to pay from $15 to $150, depending on the height and shape of the tree.

Cut it down yourself » Some tree permits are available in some U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management properties in Utah, but many sell out early in the season. Check with the closest Forest Service or BLM office for rules, regulations and availability. For more information, visit www.blm.gov/ut/st/en.html or www.fs.fed.us/r4.

Caring for a fresh-cut tree » According to Ben Hall at Western Gardens, the most important thing to do when you buy a fresh-cut tree is to cut a couple of inches off the bottom, something most tree lot owners will do for free. This helps get water to the tree when it moves into the house. Place the tree in a sturdy stand that has a receptacle for water, which needs to be filled regularly.