In pursuit of a Christmas tree

The day after Thanksgiving we head into the mountains and avoid the chaos of Black Friday shopping sprees (we’ll partake in Small Business Saturday).

Our tradition every year is to get up, grab breakfast, take our time driving up the North Fork, stopping to glass the deer and elk herds along the way until we come across the perfect tree.

We pull out the sled and saw and get to work on quickly cutting down the tree. A quick photo op takes place as our daughter tries to help my husband, it lasts all of 30 seconds.

Once the tree is secured we’ll find a fun hill and go sledding, take our time driving back down the mountain. Typically, I’ve prepared dinner earlier that morning so by the time we get home we can eat, decorate for Christmas and watch movies. It’s a fun tradition, one that my family looks forward to each year.

But where does the origin of the Christmas tree come from?

German Lutherans first used Christmas trees dating back to the 16th century when historians discovered records that indicated a tree was placed in the Cathedral of Strasbourg. However, by the 1840s Christmas trees were viewed as a pagan symbol and not accepted by most Americans. But by the end of the century the tree grew to be much more popular in the states and the tradition quickly took off.

Now, it seems odd to have ever celebrated the holiday without one.

Creating a tradition within your home during the holidays seems to come naturally. However, if you don’t have the time or means to drive up the mountain to cut a tree down yourself, seek out local businesses and organizations that are selling real trees this Christmas season.

Bomgaars, Triple L Supply, the Boy Scouts, etc., all have trees for sale and the money stays local.

So, create a tradition this season and pass it down for generations to come.