Thanksgiving was a special time for my family, not only because of my mom's delicious Thanksgiving meal and her wonderful treats but also because it marked the beginning of our search for the perfect Christmas tree. My dad was adamant about having a real tree, detesting the thought of an artificial one. My grandmother had a silver aluminum tree with a color wheel that I was fascinated with, but my dad believed that the smell, look, and feel of a real tree could never be replicated. Of course, he never saw the two stunning artificial trees I own now, but artificial trees back then weren't made like they are today.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was typically served around lunchtime, and by dinner, we were making plates from the massive amount of leftovers. After our first "feeding," we would hang out watching TV for an hour or so before getting ready to head out to a Christmas tree farm. In Mobile, Alabama, my dad's favorite Christmas tree farm was Ramsey Farms in Grand Bay, though we sometimes ventured to one on Repoll Road. When we moved to Florida, Whispering Pines became our regular tree farm.
At the farm, my dad would park the car, grab a saw from an employee, and we would head out to the fields. We all had different ideas of the perfect tree. My sister liked them perfectly shaped, I preferred them tall, and my mom wanted them full enough to hold all our ornaments. Initially, I was enthusiastic about the selection process, but as time wore on, the temperature dropped, and the winds picked up, I became less interested. Eventually, I would have agreed to a tumbleweed. My dad's decision was final once he checked the base of the tree trunk to ensure it would fit into our stand and be easily watered. He would then saw the tree down himself because, in his words, why pay someone else to do it?
Tree farms provided more than just trees; they offered a full holiday experience. Unlike the pre-cut trees sold in parking lots, which often looked out of place, tree farms made the experience special. Sometimes Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, and one year, the farm had actual deer and animals associated with Nativity scenes, like donkeys and sheep. Every tree farm had crafts, wreaths, and Christmas-scented items for sale. Christmas-related food and beverages, such as cookies, sweets, apple cider, and my favorite, hot chocolate, were also readily available. My mom would usually walk with my sister and I to the refreshment stand to buy hot chocolate for the three of us while my dad cut down the tree.
Once we got our tree home, my dad would drill a hole into the middle of the trunk before putting it in the tree stand and setting it up in the living room. My favorite part of Christmas trees was always the lights. My parents had strands of mini colored lights with reflectors for years before switching to clear lights when I was in the 8th grade. I much preferred the colored lights, often laying on the floor with my head under the tree, squinting at the blue lights, which I thought were the prettiest. I didn't care if we had ornaments; the lights were enough for me. We would spend a few hours decorating the tree, and my mom would put the finishing touches on it after my sister and I went to bed.
I can't say we ever had an ugly Christmas tree, though a couple shed quickly and others had bare spots that went unnoticed until we set it up. My parents would turn the tree so the bare spot wouldn't be visible. Since leaving home, I've continued the live tree tradition for many years, even buying one for my friend Erik's apartment in New York when I was 16. In the early 2000s, Terry and I found a 9-foot artificial tree that looked as if it had been grown and cut rather than assembled in a factory. We used it for many years until I found a shorter pre-lit tree under the Martha Stewart brand that could be assembled in less than 10 minutes.
Terry and I used to decorate for Christmas on Thanksgiving, but over the years, our decoration schedule shifted earlier and earlier, usually a week or two before Thanksgiving. This allowed us to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving without stressing over decorations. The tradition of finding and decorating the perfect Christmas tree remains a cherished memory, full of warmth, love, and holiday spirit.
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