If you celebrate Christmas and suffer from allergies, you may want to reconsider your holiday decorating traditions. That tree in your living room could be behind your itchy eyes, runny nose, and… achoo!… sneezing fits.

Pollen from Christmas trees is normally not a big problem for allergy sufferers (since the pines and firs found at most Christmas tree lots pollinate in the spring), but mountain cedar trees pollinate in late November and early December, so if you chop down your own mountain cedar tree, then the pollen could be troublesome – especially since one person out of every 10 is to allergic mountain cedar pollen.

The main problem, however, is mold that enters the home with the tree. A tree grows outside and accumulates mold for years before it's large enough for someone to take home as a Chistmas decoration. You can get rid of some of the mold by spraying your tree with water and letting it dry before bringing it inside the house.

You may also want to consider using a fungicide to kill mold on the tree – but keep in mind that chemical treatments (often used by commercial tree lots) can also aggravate allergies and cause other respiratory problems.

We recommend artificial trees for people with mold allergies, but even artificial trees can aggravate allergies. Artificial trees tend to collect dust and mold since they're in storage for most of the year. If you have an artificial tree, store it in a cool, dry place, and wipe it down or wash it before putting it up. To avoid exposure to allergens, wear gloves and an allergy relief mask and wash your hands afterwards.

Perhaps the best way to avoid allergens from a Christmas tree is employ a quality air purifier, which will rid the air of pollen, mold, dust, and chemicals.

Now we know why Rudolph's nose is so red!