Finding the Tree

Growing up we had several varieties of Christmas trees for various reasons. There was the three foot tall fake tree we put up for a few years. I remember the family picking a real tree from a local parking lot lit with strings of construction lights after dark one year. I also remember going to a tree farm and cutting down a tree. And I remember going to a local nursery several times and selecting a live tree in a burlap sack that we later planted near the front corner of the driveway.

When it comes to Christmas trees, you have a few options: 1) order a $99 piece of plastic and metal assembled in a factory that will last for a decade or more, 2) pick out a tree for $75 from a pop-up shop run by the local scouts in a nearby shopping center parking lot or 3) drive a hour to a farm, trudge through a muddy field past a hundred lopsided, too-tall, too-short, and otherwise too-not-perfect trees just to find one, cut it down yourself, and still pay the $75 for the experience.

Here at Weber Garage, there’s only one way to do things: the hard way. We have our favorite tree farms to scour for a tree that’ll fit in the house and has at least three decent sides to hang lights and ornaments. Some years we’ve been more successful than others, but it’s always an experience.

Why do we go and cut down a tree ourselves each year? When we cut down our own tree we know it’s fresh. Contributing to the local economy is nice too. We get to enjoy a family experience, whether or not it’s fun [KIDS! We are not getting THAT tree! Now smile for the camera or else you don’t get CANDY CANES!]. We get to smell the tree in the house. We blast Christmas carols on the radio, both in the car and while decorating the tree. It’s a time to spend together preparing for Christmas.