Ah, the joys of trimming the Christmas tree: hanging decorations, untangling strings of lights, sprinkling tinsel… and sneezing, itching, and tearing up?

That’s right. For some people, a Christmas tree brings not just holiday joy but also an allergic reaction.

A recent study by St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Connecticut found that most people who experience symptoms aren’t allergic to the trees themselves, they’re allergic to the mold that grows on them. They found that a live Christmas tree kept indoors for two weeks gives off a large amount of mold spores - enough to raise the “normal” mold level in a home by five times.

(Source: About.com and U.S. News and World Report)

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