News 12 visited Cockburn Farm in Garrison, where you can pick your Christmas tree from a wide selection of in-ground and pre-cut trees.

Selecting the right holiday tree is a matter of opinion, but to keep it alive, make sure it's freshly cut and fed plenty of water.

"If you shake the tree and see some needles falling out, everything like that at a local tree stand, you know that's just a telltale sign that they were cut weeks prior to selling at that location," says Sean Barton, co-owner of Cockburn Farm. 

The drought has impacted Christmas trees, causing some to have brown leaves.

This year, Cockburn Farm lost 15% of its crop compared to 5% in previous years. 

MORE: Christmas tree farms in the Hudson Valley