Twenty-three years ago, Clark Griswold "embraced the frosty majesty of the winter landscape to select that most important of Christmas symbols" as he made a memorable trip into the countryside in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Fortunately, area residents don't have to travel that far to find their Christmas trees.
Several businesses in the area carry a selection of trees from which to pick. Abers Acres, located at 884 Route 394, Kennedy not only has pre-cut trees to choose from, but ones customers can saw down themselves. Sue Abers, Abers Acres owner with her husband, John, said they have Fraser, Douglas and balsam fir and blue and Norway spruce trees to select from, either pre-cut or cut-yourself varieties. The business also has concolor fir pre-cut trees available.
Article Photos
Christmas trees at Four Seasons Nursery & Garden Center, 3181 N. Main St. Ext., Jamestown. The business sells Fraser fir, Douglas fir, Colorado blue spruce and white pine Christmas trees.
P-J photo by Dennis Phillips
The business is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. However, Abers recommends people visit the business during daylight hours if they want to cut their own Christmas tree. Abers said there is a wide range of tree heights. People can choose from a 4-foot tree to a 12-foot pre-cut tree. For those channeling their inner Griswold, the tree farm has Christmas trees as large as 15- to 16-foot for those wanting the experience of cutting their own.
''The you-cut trees are real popular. We started doing it about four to five years ago,'' she said. ''There is a demand for it. We have saws here for them to use. If there is snow on the ground, we have a sled for them to use to pull it back to their vehicle. If they need help cutting it down, we can help. We can also help tie it down.''
Abers Acres also has homemade wreaths and garland that can be pre-ordered. Abers said she enjoys Christmas tree season because she gets to visit with more customers.
''A lot of times during the summer, I don't get to see the customers because I'm out in the fields, but I get to see them during Christmas,'' she said. ''It is a good time to talk to them. They're in a good mood. Mom, dad and the kids are there, it is a happy time. If they are coming out for a live tree, they are really into it, which makes it better.''
Brigiotta's Farmland, Produce, and Garden Center, located at 414 Fairmount Ave., biggest seller is the Fraser fir. The business also sells Douglas and concolor fir and blue spruce. All the trees are pre-cut and range from 3 to 10 feet tall. Brigiotta's is open for the holidays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tim Galbato, Brigiotta's co-owner, said the important thing to remember for those purchasing a Christmas tree is securing it to a vehicle.
''We bail the tree, put it in a plastic net to shrink the diameter to less than half,'' he said. ''This way it is easier to get it off a car and less damage is done to the tree when moving it around.''
The business also sells wreaths, poinsettias and Christmas decorations.
Christmas trees at Four Seasons Nursery & Garden Center, 3181 N. Main St. Ext., Jamestown, come in Fraser and Douglas fir, Colorado blue spruce and white pine. People can select a pre-cut tree from 1-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The trees range from 3 to 10 feet tall. The business also has wreaths and ornaments available.
Julie Harper, Four Season Nursery & Garden Center, said people have to remember to get the tree in water after a fresh cut has been made.
''It needs to go in water within a few hours of being cut or the sap takes over and it won't take water like it should,'' she said.
Weather Hill Farm, 8884 Hahn Road, Fredonia offers people the choose-and-cut method of selecting a Christmas tree. Joanne Mansfield, Weather Hill Farm owner with her husband, Donald, sells Colorado blue spruce and Fraser fir trees. Customers are asked to call 672-4445 or 673-6518 to make an appointment before visiting.