This is that time of year when we start thinking of ways to share the…
Our First Real Tree
My husband and I come from different holiday traditions. Well at least when it comes to the Christmas tree. His family is used to a country drive to select and cut down their very own evergreen right out of the forest. Me? I was happy with the fakie that my mom, sister and I put up each year. With the color coded branches and little filler pieces you wrapped on the fake pole, that tree was older than me.
While I get to pretty much do most of the decorating around here, I agreed to get a real tree for our home this year. My first. Can you believe that? But with a new home and new husband come new traditions, so we donned our warmest gear and headed out to McHughes Tree Farm.
McHugh himself showed us the ropes. “Climb up the hill and pick any tree you’d like!” he told us. Off we went.
We were joined on tree day by my brother and sister-in-law and our two nephews. Nothing like hiking up hill in the cold and mud trying to dodge snowballs from two teenage boys. And get good pics for the blog of course.
But it was quite fun. There were trees as far as the eye could see. All shapes and sizes. McHugh was right, you can really stop any time and get whichever tree you want. We searched high and low.
Now there are a few items you need for cutting down your own tree. Here’s a run down.
1. Some cute Wellies to weather the weather. Thankfully it wasn’t snowing but it was wet. Wellies are perfect for days like this.
2. A cute hat of course and sunglasses so people think you look totally out of place trying to chop down a tree in the woods. Besides I have to take some shots of myself since I’m always taking them of other people.
And you need a tree farm too, that helps. Yea that’s about your only requirements for a tree cutting adventure.
Oh yea and the big, burly, bearded man with a chainsaw always giving you the furrowed brow when you take his picture. Hold your horses ladies, he’s all mine 🙂
Then you have to be serious for tree selection is a serious business! You want one that’s full and green and just the right height and width. Soon enough you will spot one and you’ll just have to take it home with you.
Now you have to act quick if you are dressed totally out of place in the forest with your sunglasses, hat and Wellies, wielding a camera on your tree excursion because those babies come down quick.
One minute it’s growing all natural in the forest,
Then next it’s on the ground!
And then all there is left of your tree is the reminder that it once lived in the woods, a little stump.
This actually made me kind of sad because I am a nature loving recycler extraordinaire in real life and cutting down a tree can bring me to tears. I kid you not. But I kept my tree-loving tears in check and remembered that trees are renewable and recycle much better than those plastic fakies you get in stores {although don’t get me wrong, we have 3 fakies up in the attic and I love em}.
And marriage is all about compromise right? He’s gets a real tree, I get Photoshop Elements for Christmas, see how that works?
Back to the tree killing fun.
Hubs strapped her on his back and down the hill we went.
I just have to say this is probably my favorite picture ever… My husband carrying our first real tree, is there anything sweeter? The lighting is perfect, the colors are vibrant. He’s all flexing and everything. Favorite picture ever.
Wrap her up so she can make it home in one piece,
Strap her to the car and off you go! Love that Forrester, it holds all my thrifted furniture bargains.
Now you may think all this nature stuff happens outside. Oh no. When you get home you have to make a fresh cut so the tree can get enough water. Right in your foyer. Thankfully we have wood floors that sweep up quick.
And just like that you have a Christmas tree cutting adventure! Just add water 🙂
Do you get a real one? Any cutting stories you want to share? Notice how I just dress warm and snap away while hubs does all the work around here? If only I was kidding.
We go every year with my Dad to cut down a real tree. I missed it this year because of the bub, but we’ve been going to the same farm since my Dad was a teen! We’ve had some great trips! 🙂 One year my Dad left behind his hand saw after cutting down the tree… that made for an easy Christmas gift that year from me and B! 🙂 Enjoy your real tree! I can’t wait until we buy a bigger home and get our own real tree!
One year while my parents were out of town my brother and I went and got a real tree and put it up and decorated it for my parents. Rance and I were so happy and proud of ourselves! That was the last real tree we had because I am now allergic to evergreen fallow – which is like the dander of the tree world… But we love our fakey tree too!
This is a cute post and your hubby is such a great lumberjack! Make sure you save the part you sawed off and write your names and the year on it! 🙂
You are so much fun! I love the way you dressed for the occasion, and your description of how it all went down – literally 😉 I grew up where we not only cut our tree down, but it was in the forest. So hiking to find ‘the’ perfect tree took on a whole new meaning, and could take all day… Seriously! Now I live where we buy our tree from a lot, and this year was a score because they delivered it… And for free! Now that was new to me! The biggest thing to remember – keep it watered… Every day. Yup, every day. ‘Cause the other part of fresh trees – they dry out quickly, and sometimes they fall over… Fully decotated… In the middle of the night! Yes – happened to me – the girl who grew up with fresh trees! Can’t wait to see pics of your tree in your home! Such a great story you shared! 🙂
We go every year, but around here there aren’t any farms, just thousands of miles of forests! The Forest Service allows for Christmas tree cutting on their holdings. We haven’t gone yet this year, but last year we got Glenhilda: http://www.housebella.com/2010/12/06/o-wild-tannenbaum/
Oh my goodness- that was PRECIOUS! I loved reading it and your photos make me wanna live somewhere it snows! 😀
How fun & cute are you guys!! We get a real tree every year, but we usulaly go to a lot. Southern Ca is a little sparse on trees haha!
Love your cute tree cutting look!! Fabulous! We had one of those fake trees growing up too with the color coded and all. And back in those days, the fake tree looked just that… fake! Now they are made to look sooo real the only thing you miss is the glorious smell! Love that real tree smell! Looks like great fun and what neat memories to have too!