Craig Zier (papa) and Nathan Zier (son) chop down their tree while Caitlyn Zier watches nearby at McMurtrey's Red-Wood Christmas Tree Farm.
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IF YOU GO
Finding a Christmas Tree Farm
Locate a U-cut Christmas tree farm close to your home using the list at left or on the Web sites below, which also include directions, hours and other holiday happenings at the farms. Be sure to check the Web site of the farm you plan to visit ahead of time to double-check the details.
Puget Sound Christmas Tree Association:www.pscta.org
Five Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Tree Farm Visit
1. Measure your tree space beforehand. Trees look deceptively smaller out on the farm. Avoid heavy-duty pruning by measuring the height of your desired space ahead of time.
2. Dress for the occasion. Warm hats, gloves and waterproof shoes or boots are a must for a trip to the farm. Bring a change of clothes for the car as well; mud will make its way onto your clothes. Grab a backpack or front pack for children who aren't yet steady on their feet.
3. The more the merrier. Bring another family with you to the farm to keep children, especially older ones, content with the outing.
4. Encourage your kids' participation. Get them involved with all aspects of your trip, which helps them become more invested in this special holiday tradition.
5. Bring hot chocolate. Unless you know your destination provides warm drinks, be sure to take along some hot chocolate as a festive finale to your visit (and relief for cold fingers).
Cutting Your Own Tree on Forest Service Land
With a $10 permit, you can head up to the mountains and cut your own Christmas tree. Pick up a map of permissible cutting areas and the permit at most ranger or public service stations as well as the REI Alderwood store in Lynnwood. Only cash or checks are accepted.
Picking out and decorating a Christmas tree is one of the quintessential family traditions of the holiday season. Building upon my memories of when I was a young girl, I've had the chance to create wonderful new traditions at a local tree farm with my own two children, who are now 3 and 5.
While it isn't the cross-country ski trip to the mountains my parents would take us on each December, our tree farm visit better befits my two little ones. We meet my sister and brother-in-law at McMurtrey's Red-Wood Christmas Tree Farm in Redmond, where the kids get to pick out and cut the perfect little tree for our living room.
Donning our rain boots and warm, comfy duds, we tour the premises, taking in the pine-scented air and seeking that special tree that will bring us joy for the rest of the month. We examine the different trees as we walk the muddy paths – fluffy, dense ones and stronger-limbed, sparse ones – and debate whether or not we are looking at the tree.
The kids love this annual outing because, aside from getting to spend time with their beloved auntie and uncle, they are involved with all the tasks at hand. Once we've chosen our tree, and with Daddy's help, they each get a turn with the farm-provided hand saw. Both clutch the mid-section of the tree as we haul it up to the front for payment. And they get a real kick out of the "tree shaker," which wobbles those loose needles right out.
Still, some of the best fun is yet to come. Complimentary candy canes, hot apple cider and hot chocolate await their chilled little hands. They fill up on these celebratory treats while I pay for our prized possession. The price for our tree, which is usually on the smaller side, is between $30 and $40. Tree farms are often less expensive than purchasing at a retail lot.
I realize that most outings are entertaining for children of this age. Older kids may not be as gung-ho, in which case going with another family (of their choosing) helps. The teenage me certainly did my share of griping about the cold and wet of our annual ski trips; nevertheless, fresh air and winter exercise does a family good. I have fond memories of playing in the snow with my sister and cousins, roasting marshmallows over an open fire and warming up with hot chocolate.
One of the best parts of my family's Christmas tree tradition lies in the final stage. With the tree in its proper place and Ella Fitzgerald crooning holiday tunes in the background, I pull each ornament out of storage and reminisce about its significance. I smile as my daughter wears as bracelets the beaded ornaments my great grandmother made [EG1] before they make their way to the tree. Of the many wonderful moments in store for us at the holidays, this is one of the highlights.
Taryn Zier is a freelance writer based in Lake Forest Park and mother of two.
U-Cut Christmas Tree Farms
King County
A&B's Flowers and Trees 28641 132nd Ave. S.E. , Auburn. 206-390-5292.
