I love the Christmas tree. It is amazing how the getting of the Christmas tree can have such history in and of itself.
I remember before the kids were born how excited I was to go get the Christmas tree.
I lived in Coon Rapids then, which is clear across the cities from Stillwater, and somehow, we found Stillwater and Country Sun Farms to get our Christmas tree. We would drive nearly one hour one way to get the "perfect" tree. We would stand around in the cold examining, twirling, fluffing, to find "the one".
20 years later I still love to get the Christmas tree. Although much has changed in that time period. In the 20 years I have experimented with other places than Country Sun Farms, purchased expensive trees, purchased inexpensive trees, been given trees, tried an artificial tree (once) and cut down our own trees. I have had many trees so fresh and long-lasting they still looked good in February :) and some that were dropping needles like crazy a few days after I got them home. I have had short trees, too tall trees, fat trees. skinny trees, crooked trees and straight trees.
One thing I have had a few too many of...... "TIMBER" trees. Trees that are beautifully decorated, lights all aglow, only to "TIMBER!". Come falling down, like it had just been freshly cut in the forest, with no care what is on it or what is in its way. Many a broken ornaments, lights and angel toppings later, I decided enough with the "TIMBER" trees.
I found myself back at Country Sun Farms. They began making a tree stand that eliminates the Timber tree. It has a wide leg base and a spike in the middle of the stand. When you get your tree, they put it on a machine to determine where it is perfectly straight. They then put a hole in the bottom of the trunk. Wrap it in netting and tie it to the top of your car. All you have to do is bring it home, put it on the spike in the stand and cut the netting off. Your tree is perfectly straight......there is no messing with getting under the tree and in the branches to twist the side bolts only to find out it is terribly crooked and get back under there to do it again, and the best part.......because of the wide leg base and it being perfectly centered it is impossible to "TIMBER!".
Last year was our first year to use this new stand and rediscover Country Sun Farms. We were very excited to do it again yesterday.
Choosing the "perfect tree" will always be exciting to me. I love all the different sizes and shapes of trees and ohhh the smell! There really is something magical about the swirling snow around you and the process of the twirling, fluffing and examining to find "the one".
Now we get to move on to all of us decorating it.
I love the Christmas tree!
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