Tree farms part of Christmas traditions

Family celebrating Christmas have their own traditions.

Holiday traditions can make anyone feel a little sappy, especially if you decide to cut down your own Christmas tree.

With the holiday season in full swing, many here in the valley are enjoying a staple of the holiday season – buying their family Christmas tree. While some families celebrate with 12 days of Christmas, Michelle, Steve and their three children instead celebrate with 12 trees. Their four young boys – Kit and Kael Sparkes, and River Prince and Silas Prince Jr. – were in tow, along for the ride in a wagon and strollers. “That plastic tree that you buy has to go somewhere”. There customers have the option to pick out a tree that’s already been cut, or they can saw one down themselves.

Kellen Sparkes, Silas’s brother-in-law, walked up to a tree and said it looked right to him.

“I’ve never gone out to the forest but with kids, it’s easier to get around in a designated area like this”, said Hansen.

“You mean the other 60 percent”, she said with a laugh. “So some years it’s pretty good and then other years it’s a washout, but all-in-all I can grow a few but supplement with the premium trees from MI”, he says.

A tree often toppled when a cat scaled it or a toddler grabbed decorations from it. The trees were selected from Dutchman Tree Farms in Manton, Michigan.

“Yesterday was tremendous, and today has been busy, too”, Cooper said. “I love the smell, I don’t care if they’re messy, I will clean it up”, stressed Schams.

Brent Elementary is bringing back its tree sale on Friday Dec. 4th (4:00 to 7:00 pm), Saturday Dec. 5th (9:00 am to 5:00 pm), and Sunday Dec. 6th (9:00 am to 5:00 pm) on the Brent Elementary School playground (301 N. Carolina Ave. SE).

Christmas carols, such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Gloria” and “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”, were sung by the St. George Choir and Theatre Brats.

“It was truly a blessing to know that there’s people out there that support my husband and our family”, said his wife, Lee Carson. The wet spring really helped for the most part.