When I was out picking up a few things, one of them being a bag of chicken feed at the local "co-op", I thought I should check the prices of Christmas trees. There was one year when we waited too long to get a tree and everywhere was completely sold out. Of course, I am talking about real trees, usually spruce or balsam. Well, the price of everything has gone up and I just about died when I saw the prices - $79, $90, and up!
So, we did a search online and found a couple of places to cut your own tree. We have NEVER gotten a Christmas tree in the month of November, ever. But, with daughter and future son-in-law not being around for actual Christmas and our mini-pre-Christmas scheduled for December 16, I've been thinking of the holiday in advance. Our son has a big truck, so off we all went to the first place. Unfortunately, the trees were spindly and hadn't really been trimmed properly over the years. We left without a tree. Then we drove further to the second location. These people knew how to do things!
That's husband walking through the many, many lovely fat trees. Every tree was $60 regardless of the size. There were so many more that I just didn't get a picture of. Look at that beautiful ridge in the distance. It was a stunning property.
That is son carrying one of the sleds they provide so you can drag your tree back to where you parked. Look at all the trees from which to choose! And there were little trees already planted where previous ones had been cut down.
Here is son in the midst of sawing the tree.
Ta Da!! It's a good tree! Son is pulling it on the sled. There were many other people and families with children who were so excited and you could hear them shouting, "How about this one!" It started to snow thick wet snow on the drive home and it is still on the ground now. The tree isn't set up in the house set, it is sitting in the cold in our car port.
Do you have a real tree? How much do you spend on yours?
Way back when we used to get a live tree from a local farm which also grew potatoes, we paid $1 per foot and got a bag of potatoes thrown in. Yes, I did say this was way back!
ReplyDeleteYou found a perfect tree! Buying at a farm is a great experience. Plus being freshly cut is ideal. Many years ago we had a tree farm a few towns over and loved buying from them. Sadly they are no longer selling trees. Yesterday, I went to a garden center and bought a 12 foot tall Fraser Fur. It was busy but they were well staffed so within 1 hour I had my tree. It was pricey at $119.00 that is $19 more than I paid last year. I love Christmas and all the fanfare that comes with it.
ReplyDeleteWe've never been to a tree farm, but that looks like fun. As for what we paid for our tree - you don't want to know - I think the price doubled (like everything else this year). But it's a one time thing, so I won't complain. Your tree looks great!
ReplyDeleteThat is definitely a proper tree farm, and the tree looks amazing. I used to buy real when the kids were young, but went to an artificial when they left home. Most recently I downsized to a table top sized artificial tree. It's easier for me to put together and store nicely as well.
ReplyDeleteThough I do miss the scent of a real tree, I don't miss the needles dropping.
Your looks so green and lush. It will be a Xmas wonder with all the baubles.
ReplyDeleteWe've never had a real tree. Apparently they start at 45euros a metre this year which is well out of our range. Our old non real tree will be fine.
Hi Jenn! ♥ We used to pick out trees from the Christmas tree farms, but decided on a fake tree a few years back. The cost is way too high and honestly, the fake tree isn't that bad!
ReplyDeleteMy trees are fake because I put them up early and leave them late. Rick always had a real one till Covid. We went to get one at the lot we always go to and they weren't even there. So, I gave him several of my fake trees (I have a LOT of trees) and it was fine for that year. The next year -- when we looked at prices, similar to yours -- he decided to stick with mine. I'm glad you got yours now. You'll enjoy it so much!
ReplyDeletewe used to cut our own trees when the kids were small... remember carrying our youngest in a backpack, tripping and having her land nose first in a snowpile.Swooped her up so quickly that she never even cried!!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, those are beautifully shaped trees! And $60 is a good price. Apparently there is a tree shortage this year (at least out West here) and prices for a large tree are all north of $100. I saw some trees at Save-on today for $45 but they were only about 3 ft high.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous trees. It has been years since we purchased a real tree, and because I miss the smell so much I burn pine scented candles.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Just an artificial tree for me and I only bother if the family are coming over on Christmas Day. I drag out the tree (getting rather moth-eaten after so many years of use) on Christmas Eve and put on the lights. The grandkids get out the ornaments when they arrive and decorate it for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tree! My granddaughter worked at a tree farm for a couple of seasons. Judging by her experience, you have a bargain.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tree farm and lovely tree. I used to have a real tree cut down from the forest next door. It was put in a bucket of water with bricks around it to keep it steady. One year it toppled and I had water everywhere on a cork floor and had to empty and move the bookcase. Since then it has been an artificial one. When I moved down here it was starting to lose needles and I came across a much better one in a garage sale for $10 so bought it. Someone I knew was pleased to have the old one. :)
ReplyDeleteYour tree is delightful, nice and full and beautifully shaped. We used to buy our tree at IKEA for $20 and then the price went up to $25. The trees were all wrapped and you couldn't unwrap them. We looked for the plumpest tree wrapped tree. In all the years we bought from IKEA we never got a bad tree. IKEA stopped selling trees during Covid and never went back. The last two years we bought at a nursery and spent over $100. We want a real tree this year but perhaps a smaller one, tabletop size. IKEA used to plant a tree for every tree they sold. You also got a store coupon for $25 off when you spent $100 to be used in the new year. Enjoy d corating your tree. Elaine in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful tree. We always get a real one, through the years my husband and a few of the kids would go cut one down, for like twenty bucks. They chose a pre-cut one this year, it was $60, and it's lovely. I rather liked the twenty dollar wild and crazy ones they used to get, ha. We have only four kids left at home, so in a few years I could see us getting a fake tree...but not yet. :)
ReplyDeleteWe used to always have a live tree, but nowadays it's a fake one. Real ones seemed to set off my asthma, sadly. It looks like you found a beauty.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like so much fun and a great family memory in the making! Your tree is lovely.
ReplyDeleteWe have a fake one, (I'm terrified of a house fire) and I think I spent over $400 for it a few years ago.