The 2012 Searl Family Christmas Tree!

Going out and tagging a Christmas tree is a fun event and one that we tried for the first time just last year. We had a great time as a family and I wrote about it here. This year didn’t go so smoothly since Tonry Farm, which is where we tagged last year and were very happy with, was not allowing tagging in an effort to help replenish their inventory. Due to this, we decided to try a tree farm in Newmarket which was right up the street. We figured it was nice to have a tree farm so close and would be a nice place to start a traditional tagging trip to. Unfortunately, we were very unhappy with this tree farm. Each tree looked exactly the same (cone shaped, no space in between branches, very fragile limbs). Also, after stepping in dog poop at least two times, Jill and I decided this was not the place for us!

As I’ve explained on this blog last year, I love vintage looking trees. If you look at a spruce tree in the White Mountains, they are not uniformly shaped and cookie cutter like. Instead, they have character. They have space between the branches which are great for hanging decorations. They have wild branches that poke way out like wild arms. Most of all, their branches are very sturdy and firm, as they have not been trimmed, and trimmed…and trimmed, so they can support heavy decorations without bending way over and hitting the floor. Finding a place that sells trees like this is nearly impossible now a day without heading into the woods for a natural tree.

In late November, Jill got a tip from a co-worker (who also likes these types of natural trees) that there was a place on route 108 in Newfields, NH behind J.M. Hayden Equipment. We decided to drive down there a couple weekends back, after a nice dusting of snow. We found trees after driving around for a bit, out in fields that were way off the main road. We had a difficult time finding anyone who was manning the farm, but soon a lady came out and told us we could take whatever we wanted. We just needed to come back to pay. I thought that sounded good, so we were off.

 Our Searl Family Christmas Tree, as we found it in the field

Lylah, having fun with Christmas Trees!

 Me, cutting it down!

Once we got out in the farm, it was amazing. All of the trees looked like they had grown in the wild. None of them were trimmed like cookie cutter trees, and I loved it. We found the perfect Searl Family Christmas Tree pretty quickly and I cut it down. Once I had it loaded in the back of the truck, I drove up to the house, handed the lady $40 through my driver’s side window (love the drive through service) and told her we’d be back again next year!

Lylah again!

...and again!

We decorated it the way we always do, lighting it with white lights and stringing popcorn and cranberries. We were able to use most of our decorations this year as the spacing between the branches allowed for us to put bulbs all the way in toward the trunk of the tree. We topped it off with an aluminum foil star and placed my mother’s homemade, quilted skirt at the base. By far, this is my favorite Searl Family Christmas Tree!

Our tree prior to decorations!

Behold, the 2012, Searl Family Christmas Tree!!!

So what are some of your favorite Christmas decorations and traditions surrounding your Christmas tree? Comment here and let me know. I’m always looking for more ways to make this tree even better!

The 2012 Searl Family Christmas Tree!