By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — Polar Bear Trees are here once again on Airline Highway hoping to provide local residents the best Christmas trees around.

Gene Gress of Polar, Wisc. has brought his Christmas trees to the area for the past 31 years and has been in LaPlace for the past 10 years.

Gress said picking out a perfect tree solely depends on the taste of the individual.

&#8220Some like them tall and thin, some like them short and fat,” he said. &#8220But most of all, they want to make sure they are in good condition, so they will last.”

He said check to make sure the tree is in good condition by feeling the needles and seeing if they are soft, bend them backwards and make sure they do not pop off and make sure not to get a hand full of needles.

&#8220The key to keeping your tree in good condition is by cutting the bottom of the trunk off about an inch to an inch and a half,” he said. &#8220We do this when they are bought, and we tell the customer to put the tree in water right way, so that the tree can start drawing the water.”

Gress said the trees will not take water, unless you cut the bottom off, because the sap runs down and seals the bottom. By cutting it off, it opens the tree’s pores so the tree can draw water.

&#8220If this is done, the tree should last until Christmas,” he said. &#8220All that needs to be done to keep the tree in good condition is keep it waters, away from heat registers and away from sunny windows, so it will not dry out.”

Gress said they will stay open, next to Home Depot, until they are sold out.