SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season is here. But before dressing a Christmas tree you should know how a few things about holiday safety.

Spanish Fort Fire Rescue offers some tips to keep your family and home safe this holiday season.

The department recommends purchasing an artificial Christmas tree instead of a real tree because they are safer and clean.

If you go with a real tree, know how to minimize risk and cleanup.

The tree shouldn’t shed needles when it’s tapped on the ground. Otherwise, this is a sign that the tree isn’t fresh, and could be dry and at a higher risk to catch fire, according to www.spanishfortfirerescue.com, the Spanish Fort Fire Rescue’s official Web site.

The site offers the following suggestions:

"The most important thing is making sure the tree stays hydrated,” Spanish Fort Fire Rescue Chief Roger Few said. “A wet tree is a safe tree.”

These are just some safety tips for a safe holiday season with a Christmas tree. Households should adjust their safety regimines as needed to ensure they have a safe holiday season.

For more information on holiday safety contact Spanish Fort Fire Rescue at 626-8876.

About Christmas trees

’Tis the season for winter weather and holiday shopping.

Christmas trees are part of the season’s tradition and many say set the mood in their home for Christmas.

Children know they’ll find the morning’s gifts tucked under the  glowing tree.

But what’s the Christmas tree’s origin?

The first record of a Christmas tree dates back to 1510 when merchants in Riga, Lativa got a tree and decorated it with roses, danced around it then set it on fire, according to www.christmastree.org, the National Christmas Tree Association’s official Web site.

The next record of a Christmas tree comes in 1530 from France, then-Germany territory,  where trees were sold in local markets and were kept undecorated in the home. Trees at this time legally couldn’t exceed 4 feet in height, the site said.

It wasn’t until the early 1800s that the first tree was brought to the United States by German settlers. In 1851 Christmas trees began being sold commercially after they were harvested from forests, the site said.

It took nearly a half-century after the tree was introduced to the U.S. that it began to get decorated by ornaments such as glass balls, toys, figures and chains of balls.

It wasn’t until 1881 that Sears, Roebuck and Company began selling artificial trees at a rate of 50 cents for 33 limbs and $1 for 55 limbs, the site said. 

After several years, overharvesting became an issue in the Christmas tree industry and people were encouraged by environmentalists to get only artificial to save the evergreens.

Today, an estimated 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year, the site said.