Growing up, we always got our Christmas trees at one of the specialty lots that popped up around town. Then, when I got older and lived on my own, I went to the super market for my tree. So much cheaper!
Mike, on the other hand, grew up Griswold-style. His family would drive an hour and a half to pick out and chop down their own tree. He always said it was so awesome to be in mountains surrounded by snow. I personally think it is more awesome to wear flip flops and not get my hands dirty. I’m a city girl!
When Mike’s sister and brother in law said they were going to a pick and cut Christmas farm, Mike immediately said he wanted to go along. I said, “they HAVE those in Los Angeles?!”
“Well,” I thought, “at least I can wear a tank top and flip flops on this excursion.” And then it rained all morning. Grrr.
We arrived at the lot and I had to admit it was pretty to see the rows and rows of trees.
Mike had a perma-grin
and loved showing Annie all the trees.
My nephews loved turning everything they found into weapons toys.
I liked the sweet baby trees:
Then it started to rain. City Girl was not happy.
Luckily for everyone, it didn’t rain much or for long. Annie was especially happy about this because that meant she was able to get out of her stroller and see things from different perspectives.
We eventually found their perfect tree, and the boys assisted in the sawing.
Michaela supervised:
When it was time for the tree to fall, the boys yelled TIMBER!!!!! and Monica “caught” the tree.
So my verdict? It was a neat experience. But just like I don’t go out and butcher my own cow, in the future I will let someone else chop down my tree. What can I say, I’m lazy.
Brighter side? Annie snuggles!
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the last picture – two wonderful smiles! What a great adventure, I’ve never been to such a place either.
Kate @ UpsideBackwards´s last [type] ..Kah-gah
HA- you have the same dirty look in that unhappy heather photo like when you were in the smelly waiting room at the hospital. I think you’re wearing the same hood. Did you wash it? Dont lie, I know you havent yet.
Love you!
the last photograph is a winner… I miss having a real tree… Hubby is allergic to them so I am stuck with a fake one forever. Darn it… Nothing beats the smell of a christmas tree in the house!
catherine lucas´s last [type] ..Life is no video
It’s so weird to see you looking for Xmas trees wearing just a hoodie. Out on the East Coast, we are stuck in a deep freeze. Parka coats are de rigeur.
Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last [type] ..When he said “over easy-” he meant it
Totally with you on the city girl thing – I grew up in villages stuck in the middle of nowhere and HATED IT. I’ve lived in a city since I left home! When I was a child, we always had a real tree, but I’m waaaaay too lazy to deal with all the hassle involved (needles! everywhere! till May!), so our tree is a fake and I love it!
I let my girls decorate (which means there’s nothing at the top because they can’t reach), so it’s very haphazard and bizarre looking, but still. I love it!
And although I can’t say we’re in flipflops (this isn’t California, it’s the south of France), I do feel lucky because most of France has about 20 cm of snow and sub-zero temperatures, whereas here it’s mild enough to not need a coat and wonderfully sunny!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Kirsty´s last [type] ..More doom and gloom
We currently have 3 1/2 feet of snow and have to go into a storm to get our tree on Sunday.
Suck it up, City Girl… I’m with Mike on this one! There’s nothing quite like going to cut down your own tree
)
Heather´s last [type] ..A disappointing turn of events
LMAO at “Mike had a perma grin” and the following picture. That’s awesome! And I hope you have a great birthday!
It looks like a good time was had by everyone. (Even you, fake pouter!)
I love, Love, LOVE the picture of you & Annie! Look how SKINNY you are!!!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU & YOURS!!
Love,
Jenn xox
When I was growing up in Washington state we used to always go cut down our own tree. Since I moved to Texas though, artificial prelit all the way baby! I am right there with you on not going anywhere I can’t wear flip-flops too.
It looks like it was fun, minus the rain of course. I’ve never been to a cut your own tree lot, we always went to the specialty lots like your family did.
Lisa´s last [type] ..Successful Santa Pictures
I’m with Mike. I love going to those tree farms! But I have to admit it offends this central Virginian to see that they have them out in L.A….seems like it would be too warm. I went to one a couple of years ago and it was about 25 degrees, and we were getting trees for three people so it took forever.
My mom is a fan of buying potted trees because of the whole murder factor. Two problems, they are expensive, and she doesn’t have a yard to plant the tree in after Christmas. So she keeps it in the pot on her patio all year, year after year, and drags the same tree in every Christmas. After 4 years or so, it gets too big to stay in the pot and be brought inside, so she gives it to someone with a yard and gets a new one. Until that happens, I have to put up with this scraggly looking tree every year. She just gets so sad if you criticize it, though.
We go cut down a tree every year. I have two little boys and it is one of the main things they look forward to every year. : )
I’m with you sister! I want a fake tree, with lights and already decorated that I can store in a sealed crate that I can pull out and plop in my living room.
Decorating the tree was fun when my kids were small. Now they tend to lose interest when I ooo and ahhh over their handmade (read: ugly) ornaments from preschool and beyond. (They are still my favorite ornaments and I will never get rid of them….. I just want them on my “perma-tree”.)
My parents are divorced. My mom and I went and bought a pre-cut tree every year when I was little, but my dad would take me to a tree farm where we got to cut down our own. I LOVED it!! He let me help saw it down and everything. Those are some of my happiest winter memories. I hope if/when I have kids I can take them to cut down a Christmas tree. I know it takes a lot of effort but it’s magical for kids!
Usually I’m on your side, but I totally agree with Mike on this one. This was our first year cutting down our own tree and I loved it!
I’m with Mike on this one! There’s nothing like being knee-deep in snow picking out your Christmas tree! When you’re a kid it feels like an awesome adventure. Of course, I still love the outdoors, and I’m not much of a city girl, growing up in Vermont and all…Merry Christmas to your family!
Yea, I don’t do the whole real tree thing. I don’t think I could deal with the mess with three little ones running around. But I like the idea of going out to pick out a tree and making memories with my family. Oh well maybe one year we will do it, although I won’t be cutting it down either!
Nicole´s last [type] ..Getting it out now
i’m not going to weigh in on the tree thing, but i’m got to say that baby tree was too cute!!!
you must be so happy that annie has her cousins there to hang with….pretty soon she’s going to be running around making “toys” with the boys too! wooohoo!! might want to invest in some safety googles.
*i’ve….grrrr.
Although I’ve never had a real tree in my house (I’m a city girl too) this does look like a fun experience. The pictures are amazing, especially the last one!!
Oh that is nothing…. when I was growing up ans living in Colorado we would actually go out into the mountains where they had set a side of a mountain aside and you actually go hunting for a tree- on the mountain side.
We went home with 24′ trees!!
kbreints´s last [type] ..the unimaginable
I am so jealous! That sounds like a really cool experience.
I myself love the trees at Home Depot. We went last weekend, and girlfriend wore flip flops.
I hope you have an amazing weekend! I am so disappointed that I couldn’t make this one…we will be freezing our booties off at a cheer competition for my older daughter, so I should have some interesting stories to tell.
LOVE the pics of Annie and Mike’s megawatt smile!
I’m like you. I’d rather have someone else do the hard work. In fact, we have a fake tree with lights already in it. Can’t get much lazier than that! Now if I could only figure out how to keep the ornaments on all year…
What a gorgeous and precious shot of Annie grinning cheek-splittingly big at a Christmas tree of her very same height!
I’m with you Heather… city girl all the way. I don’t want to go to a farm and cut the tree down. I’ll drive to a lot and pick one out! and I don’t like the rain either… I have a very good friend who LOVES the rain! not this girl! Have a great day with Mike celebrating his birthday!
This doesn’t sound like something I’d want to do either. First of all, I’m a city girl like you. Second, I’m allergic to live trees!
omg. the look on mike’s face… that and the snuggles must have made it worth it, in the end, right? that and the fact that you won’t have as many needles falling all OVER the house might make you a tree farm subscriber in the end. so fun! thanks for sharing!
We did the tree-farm-thing once when I was a kid. It was a neat experience, but nah…I’m with you. I like just running down to Home Depot or Target or a tree lot and just grabbing one. I’m a city girl, too. Plus, to be honest, I don’t like the look of the ones you need to chop down yourself. They are too bushy and ornaments don’t hang well on them. My opinion of course.
But I loved Mike’s perma grin. I vote you do the tree-farm-thing every year just so that we get an annual photo of that expression on his face
Katrina´s last [type] ..This got me thinking
It’s more fun to cut down the tree from someone’s front yard….in the middle of the night….not that I have ever done such a thing….just sayin’.
Rebecca´s last [type] ..Different- But Not All That Different
One of my favourite memories from childhood! Only we didn’t go to a tree farm, we took our snowmobile way out into the woods/forest/trees and found one! True Griswold style…
This is a wonderful family tradition, seriously. Even for a city girl.
Rumour Miller´s last [type] ..Ornaments
The last pic of you and Annabel is very sweet. When I was younger my dad took me, my mom, and little sister to cut are own tree. We complained so much that was the one and only time. And my mom and I found out that our allergies went haywire with a real tree. Sine then we’ve had fake trees.
Elle´s last [type] ..When Search Engine Terms Attack
*since. I always seem to forget how to spell when I leave a comment on your blog.
Elle´s last [type] ..When Search Engine Terms Attack
i’m all about the supermarket christmas tree shopping.
it looks like it was fun though..i bet it smelled wonderful around there.
also..annie standing up by the little tree=TOO adorable!
Hey City Girl, I like your scarf.
I just love that happy little face of hers!
I totally would have taken the Charlie Brown tree…
Jennifer Dawn´s last [type] ..6 Months
Great pics and some great memories too. Annie is adorable and yay for cuddles!
I still remember the only time we went to a cut your own tree place when I was little. What great memories.
Kristin´s last [type] ..My poor- poor boy
Looks like a fun experience. I love the first picture of Annie getting to see things from different perspectives!!!!
Looks like you found a really nice Christmas tree. Good choice. Shopping for Christmas stuff is easy. However, I think picking and cutting your own tree is fun. You have great pics around those beautiful trees in that farm.