Whether it’s chopping down, piecing together or decorating, getting into the holiday spirit with a Christmas tree can be a challenge for cash-strapped, lease-restricted students.

However, the tradition remains an important one to many, and selecting the perfect tree is a subjective task.

Expert retailers recommend artificial trees for students who live in small spaces and who are often too busy to care for a freshly cut tree, and many students agree.

“The mess is not worth it [when you’re in a college situation],” said Libby Lewis, junior in adult, child and family services.

Students travel during the holidays and are rarely home to enjoy the tree, she said.

The transportation and care of a real tree is also more difficult, Lewis said.

But for some, the traditions and memories attached to a real tree make it worth the trouble.

The smell of a real tree is the best part of the whole tradition, said James McFarland, sophomore in forestry.

“The evergreen smell puts Christmas in the air,” he said.

“It’s the center of [the season].”

Whether it be the fresh and savory sent of an evergreen or the simple presence of a tree, sometimes the tradition lies in the decoration.

“The tree is a focal point to a lot of people,” said Doug Olson, seasonal and garden shop manager for Kmart, 1405 Buckeye Ave.

“A lot of tradition goes into the trimming.”

Types of trees available in Ames:

• The Balsam Fir is a North American tree with a pyramidal shape and flattened needles. It is widely used as a Christmas tree and yields Canada balsam and pulpwood. Many Balsam Firs are grown on plantations and are well-shaped. The needles are short and smooth, said James McFarland, vice president for the ISU Forestry Club.
• A Fraser Fir is another North American tree with a pyramidal shape, but its dark green, flattened needles and resin-filled blisters on its trunk distinguish it from the Balsam Firs. The needles on a Fraser are smaller and more populated than other varieties, said Justin Lewis, Earl May employee.
• The Scotch Pine is a Eurasian pine tree with twisted needles arranged in bundles of two. The yellow wood of the trunk is valued as timber. The Scotch Pine is a larger, plumper tree in comparison with the Balsam Fir. Its needles are also rougher, McFarland said. The needles on a Scotch are well-dispersed, but the tree may dry out faster if it’s not watered often, Lewis said.
• The White Pine is a timber tree from eastern North America with needles arranged in clusters of five and durable, easily worked wood.
• Miniature spruces are a small variety of evergreen with needle-like foliage, drooping cones and soft wood often used for paper pulp.
• A Norfolk Pine is often potted and used as a tropical Christmas tree. It is extremely symmetrical in growth — its branches radiate in regular tiers and all branches lie in one plane.
• Flocking is a tree treatment done to preserve the life of the tree, prevent needle loss and flame retard a freshly cut tree. This service is often done in white, and makes the tree look as if it is covered in a thick coat of snow, Lewis said.

Where to buy trees:

Fresh-cut trees:

• Earl May Nursery and Garden Center, 1601 S. Kellogg Ave., has both fresh and artificial trees for sale. Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir and Scotch Pine trees can be purchased in varying heights and widths. Tree flocking is available. There are five to six types of artificial trees, including some pre-lit. Prices range from $10 to $149.
• The ISU Forestry Club will sell Balsam Fir and Scotch Pine trees as part of its annual fund-raiser. Prices range from $20 to $45, depending on height and type; trees are available from under 5 to 8 feet tall. They will be open from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Reiman Gardens.
• West Hy-Vee, 3800 Lincoln Way, has both Balsam Fir and Scotch Pine trees available. Heights range from 6 to 8 feet and are all priced at $24.95.
• Fareway, 619 Burnett Ave., has both fir and White Pine trees averaging between 6 and 7 feet tall. Prices are $20 and $30.
• East Hy-Vee, 640 Lincoln Way, has smaller, potted trees available for $8 to $20, including miniature spruces and Norfolk Pine.
• Ames Landscape & Nursery, 4320 Highway 69 S., has a cut-your-own field for fresh-cut trees.

Artificial trees in Ames:

Kmart, Wal-Mart and Target all have artificial trees available in varying styles and heights.

• Kmart, 1405 Buckeye Ave., has 10 styles, including pre-lit and fiber optic. Sizes range from 32 inches, for $20, to a 9-foot tree, priced at $250.
• Wal-Mart, 3015 Grand Ave., carries artificial trees.
• Target, 320 S. Duff Ave., has artificial trees modeled after 14 styles of real trees. Lit, non-lit and fiber optic trees are available. Prices range from $70 for a 6-foot tree to $249 for a pre-lit, 8-foot tree.
• Cub Foods, 3121 Grand Ave. sells artificial trees.

Fresh trees in surrounding areas:

• Captain Jack’s Christmas Tree Farm, 2866 N.W. 82nd Ave. in Ankeny, 25 miles south of Ames. Call (515) 964-8500 for more details.
• Reutter Tree Farm, 2051 220th St. in Boone, 18 miles west of Ames. Call (515) 432-1955 for more details.
• Strautman Tree Farm, 58976 290th St. in Cambridge, 17 miles from Ames. Call (515) 383-4675 for more details.
• Holiday Pines, 31025 U.S. Hwy 69 in Huxley, 10 miles south of Ames. Call (515) 597-2262 for more details.
• Boone Christmas Trees, 1662 280th St. in Madrid, 25 miles from Ames. Call (515) 795-2595 for more details.
• The Christmas Tree Farm, 33459 663rd Ave. in Maxwell, 23 miles from Ames. Call (515) 387-8778 for more details.
• Kidman Tree Farm, 3665 NW 98th Ave. in Polk City, 28 miles from Ames. Call (515) 984-6946 for more details.
• Hoffman Pines, 2411 Fairman Ave. in State Center, 26.3 miles east of Ames. Call (641) 483-2052 for more details.
• Ho-Ho-Holt Tree Farm, 1339 330th St. in Stratford, 36 miles from Ames. Call (515) 838-2706 for more details.

— Compiled by Natalie Spray