It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas time is now and we’re all about embracing the festivities. That means baking sugar cookies, singing Christmas carols and of course, decorating the Christmas tree.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always gone for a real Christmas tree. Growing up in Vermont, that’s just what you do. For years, my family and I would go into the woods and chop down a tree of our own. And there’s definitely a science to selecting the perfect Christmas tree.

You want something that will fit the room you put it in and that means leaving room for the tree stand as well as the star/ angel. Then, you want a tree that’s the proper conical shape and you’ll want one that has good branch density—no big holes! From there, the health of the tree is imperative. It’s natural for a few needles to fall when you touch a branch, but if it’s raining needles, that tree won’t last until Christmas. Finally, be sure that nothing is living inside the tree or else that creature will be living with you.

In honor of the wonder of Christmas trees, take a look at 50 of our favorite Christmas tree tattoos in the gallery below. Then let us know your favorite part about Christmas in the comments section on social media.