According to the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society, the choice of Christmas tree can say a lot about the purchaser - and the society offers a guide to matching people's personalities with their choice of tree.

For example the 'bigger-is-better' type wants the largest and best tree available for Christmas - as they want to impress people. The Noble Fir is the tree for these folk; an elegant and aromatic tree, which can grow to more than 60 metres with green and silver needles.

'Low-maintenance' types know that Christmas is for the children but worry about tree needles getting into every nook and cranny and if they will be vacuuming them up until the following Christmas. The Nordmann, Abies nordmanniana, would be a good choice as it has good needle retention and is glossy green in colour.

'Traditionalists' love Christmas and are the first to send out their Christmas cards. They have a large collection of decorations and choose the same tree every year. The Norway Spruce, Picea abies, is the perfect tree for them with its strongly aromatic needles that fill the room with an evocative Yuletide scent.

Christmas can get too much for the 'touchy subjects' who feel a bit prickly when the festivities loom. The Blue Spruce, Picea pungens glauca, might suit their mood with branches thickly covered with short, sharp dusty-blue needles.

I am part 'traditionalist' and part 'touchy subject'. We are annually waylaid by other more exotic looking trees but always buy a Norway spruce and I get increasingly prickly as the days pass and jobs fail to be done.

But whatever your type, if a cut tree is to be part of your Christmas it has to be looked after to keep it in good condition for at least 12 days.

Saw a few centimetres from the base of the trunk and place the tree immediately in water in a cool place until it is time to bring it indoors.

Bring the tree indoors and wedge it securely with bricks or pieces of wood in a large bucket. Fill the bucket with water and disguise it with wrapping paper, foil or parcel paper.

Make sure the tree is well secured and, if possible, away from fires, radiators, televisions, or other sources of heat that will dry it out.

Check the container daily and make sure it is topped up with water.

Some people recommend a daily misting of the branches and foliage of the tree but I am wary about mixing water and fairy lights.

Updated: 15:55 Monday, January 21, 2002