The Last Real Christmas Tree

The value of memories is coming in this season.  One of the most iconic memories is going to pick out the Christmas tree. The weather has been different, but last year was one of the most memorable.  It was the first and only time my nephew came.  We wanted to bring memories to him.  He was getting older and ready to pick out the tree.  For weeks, we built the experience up for the little boy. 

For years, we went to two different farms depending on the selection. We picked out the fattest tree throughout childhood while fighting with my siblings over the best. So, all those times made us want to bring the youngest ones with the enthusiasm of childhood.

My nephew was getting excited to go pick out the tree.  It made the trip so much more enjoyable with him.  The day came, and he was bundled up in this little coat and hat.  He was so cute and happy about the trip.  The tree farm was about a half hour away, and the weather was lovely.  There was snow on the ground, and it was rather cold.  Seeing him in his seat, waiting for the fun, was always special.  My parents drove to the first place.  It is owned by an older couple, and the selection has been diminishing for years. It was just like the previous year.  We walked around the section of Frazier Pines.  My nephew wandered around the area, but nothing stood out: the small trees, plus they were rather skinny.   We looked, and he was happy to be outside.   

Our journey led us to the other tree farm close to the first. It was another ten minutes or so to another adventure. My nephew was just happy to be there and running around.  He never did care about the cold.  The second place was the same as the first, with no selection.  The trees were relatively small or just pathetic-looking.  The skinny trees were lying across the barren fields.  This was a disappointment since these trees have always been affordable.  The trek has been a failure so far, but my nephew was not complaining and just taking everything in around him.  We still had good exercise but had no luck finding a tree. This was frustrating, and there were no other tree farms in our parts. 

We then had to go out of state.  There were a few in the state next to us, and if we wanted one, that was where we had to go. It was a much longer trip to a much fuller tree farm.  The trees were large and plump. The fields were complete, and my nephew was happy to walk around those fields. The Fraizers were in better supply, but it was also cold.  We still did not see the tree we sought but found some decent ones.

One area already had a precut tree in a barn.  So, the field ones were alright, yet it was worth a look in the barn.  Once we walked in, it was rather eerie to start. All the trees hung by ropes from the roof. The place was filled with them, and there were good trees. The whole barn was full of them, and I felt this could be used in a scene in the horror movie.   It was quite an experience, but my nephew did not seem to mind. He is so young, and I wanted to give him something to remember.  Though I hope it did not cause any nightmares in that place.  Picking the tree was interesting since it was eerie in the barn. There were plenty of plump trees, and we finally chose one. The assistant pulled the rope, and then the tree came down.  It was more expensive than we wanted to pay, but the options were slim in the other places. So, we had it put in the car to bring it back to the house.

My nephew seemed to enjoy himself after our little adventure to many tree farms and stayed well-behaved.  He was happy to be out and getting some attention from the family. He also helped pick out the tree. He quietly rode back with the tree strapped to the top of the car. I personally like going to find one, and the smell is heavenly.  It brings back many memories of going out, no matter the weather or time.  It was a ride past the trees and sunset in the sky.  The ride was nice now that we had found a tree.  As the trip ended, we arrived back. 

Arriving back was the yearly tradition of getting the tree into the house. One must open the door as my father drags the tree to the front room.   The tree stand will be sitting in the room.  Lifting the tree was the challenge as the tree stand had to be adjusted to keep the tree standing tall. There is a slight chance it will work for the first time yearly. I am always holding the tree. When it does stand, it is always larger than on the farm.  The tree would remain empty until the branches fell and a better view was possible. It permeates the house with its smell.  My nephew was happy to see it placed in the room and even helped put up some ornaments.  He generally left it alone, even the low, more fragile ones.  He has always been good at that.  

I hope he remembers that time because a fake tree was put up the following year. The cost needed to be lowered, and the cheaper tree farms needed to be more selective. It has been the same with that yearly tradition since I was small. I hope we can get a real tree again, but I must remember that last year we had one.