The year that my husband and I were engaged, I lived in an apartment with my friend, Siri. On my birthday that year, we celebrated with my family on the farm and then drove back to college. I was so excited to have a place where I could put up my first real Christmas tree. Greg and I drove to Walmart and picked out a small, live tree for $15, and brought it back to my apartment. It was the most catastrophic Christmas tree I have ever run across. Greg couldn't get it to stand up in the ancient Christmas tree stand we had acquired at a thrift store, and we ended up arguing about it. And then, a week later the Christmas tree actually ROTTED. I have no idea how that could have happened, but it really did. The stench was horrible, and Siri and I ended up having to throw out the tree before Christmas was even close to coming.
The next year I sadly bought an artificial tree, and we haven't had a real one since. But I've wanted one every year. I love real trees. I love their smell. I love their authenticity.
We planned on getting a real tree this year, because I am determined that the kidlets experience an authentic Christmas tree.
Today is my birthday, so I was MORE than thrilled when my husband asked if I wanted to go hiking through the forest to find a Christmas tree. At first I thought he was crazy, about to commit some terrible crime. But then he showed me a notice in the paper that a recreational area nearby was having a Family Christmas tree cutting event. You bring your own saw, and you can cut any tree in the forest that is a balsam fir for only $8. Woohoo! I was so excited I could barely contain myself.
It was FREEZING cold today so we bundled, and bundled and bundled the kidlets, loaded them into the car along with saws, a sled, and some snacks. When we arrived at the correct forest, we unloaded everything, talked to the people in charge who explained exactly what a balsam fir looks like, and headed off along the trail with our saw.
We knew we had to work fast because it was really cold and the kidlets wouldn't last long. We hiked in about a fourth of a mile, and found a tree right along the trail that looked like it would make a good Christmas tree (it was harder to judge what makes a good Christmas tree than you'd think in a forest).
Here it is as Gregory begins to saw:
One of the reasons it was hard to pick a tree was because the trees that were mature enough to really make a good Christmas tree were actually quite tall in the forest. You need to cut them down and then trim them to a size that works in your house. It's hard to judge how tall the top of the tree really is when you're looking so far up.
Here's Mr. Sneaky Pants "helping." He was getting cold and very grumpy, so we tried to distract him with the exciting opportunity to use a real ax. It worked for awhile.
In no time at all our tree was horizontal on the ground. We trimmed off some branches we knew we wouldn't need for sure.
Mr. Sneaky Pants refused to stand in front of the tree for a picture. By this point, all three kidlets were freezing, whiny and complaining. Sarah was upset because she was convinced the tree would fall on her if she stood next to it. Mr. Sneaky Pants was upset because he was too cold to take a picture. The Banana was just upset in general. But my ax loving husband and I were both having a super time.
The Banana was too upset to ride back out of the forest in the sled, so we loaded it up with the bottom logs from our tree and the saw, and Sarah pulled it away. Mr. Sneaky Pants trudged behind, and my gallant husband hoisted the tree over his shoulder and took off. I was last, bumbling along with The Banana who was convinced I needed to carry her out of the forest.
We tied the tree to the top of our minivan and drove it home. It only fell off once. Stay tuned for pictures of the decorated tree soon. I am LOVING it. I don't think you could find a more real Christmas tree anywhere.
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2 Comments
Robin Rewald
I absolutly love it. You have made permanent meomories of what fun it is to bring home that real tree. Do you remember picking out the tree when you were little? What fun that was to do at night under the lights. Most of the time it was really cold then also. Happy Birthday!!!!!
MOM
Carm
What a crazy adventure! I remember sawing down a tree from our own shelterbelt once. I’m not sure how often that happened. Maybe only the once. But I agree, a real Christmas tree is the way to go. I have had artificial for years. Sigh.