Though winter is the best season for my asthma and allergies, I noticed a few years ago that I had flare-ups during the holiday season. I could never put my finger on why, and chalked it up to holiday stress (though my holidays really aren't that stressful). Then one year, my allergist sent out a flyer to his patients about Christmas trees and indoor mold. You could almost see the light bulb go on over my head. That year, we switched to an artificial tree, and I've been breathing easy at Christmas time every since.

A recent study found that Christmas trees can increase indoor mold significantly, and the longer the tree is up, the higher levels rise. It's recommended that if you have allergy sufferers in the home, particularly those who suffer from a mold allergy, that you use an artificial tree instead. Keep in mind, however, that artificial trees can gather dust and mold as well. Store it carefully and have a non-allergic individual shake it off outdoors before bringing it inside.

If you just can't imagine Christmas without a real tree, this article suggests that you spray your tree down and dry it in the sun before you set it up. You could also run a HEPA-filter to reduce mold spores in the air as well. Any allergists out there want to way in on whether spraying down your Christmas tree really works?