Christmas Tree Hunting

Matt and I decided we wanted a real tree this year. We've never had one! In retrospect, we should have gone with 'experienced' tree hunters, but *Kris* made it sound so easy. Skip the saw since we weren't brave enough to cut down our own like the super cool Henwoods, grab a cart to transport our tree in. Easy enough? Haha... Not for us! Read on:

We decided to go Saturday morning. Stop at Target for a tree stand, then to Wegmans for grocery shopping and lunch, quick stop at the post office for some stamps (if my Christmas cards come in time!), then our tree. First off... this was one ambitious morning... which may have been more feasible if I didn't get a back spasm right before we left. (and of course I couldn't get seen by the chiropractor until this am) Although Matt wanted me to stay home, he would go grocery shopping, and we could do everything else at a later time, I really wanted to do everything we planned that day... who knows when we'd have time again?!

Fast forward - we head to Wilbert's. It's huge! We pull into the first lot and realize these are all die-hard hunters, saws in hand, no precut trees here! We pull out and drive down the road a little further. I suggest we drive all the way past to scope out the area, then turn around to find a parking spot - the place is packed! But a spot on the side of the road opens up next to the main area, so we take it. Unsure of how to proceed, we cautiously cross the street and look around... wreathes, swags, oh there they are! trees!

We seek out the 'cheap' trees. We don't need anything spectacular. Just a Christmas tree. I was a little nervous, because I am used to 'perfect' fake trees, and mother nature can be a little more creative than that. First tree - nope. Turn the corner, second tree - absolutely perfect! Really? Could it be that easy? Well, finding the tree was... this is where it gets hairy. We never got the cart because we didn't see where they were hiding them. Matt approaches a guy in a Carhart jacket and asks him where he can get a cart. The guy tells him 'I don't work here, it must be the jacket.' Haha. Matt doesn't seem to care whether or not the guy is an employee of Wibert's and continues to ask questions. The guy walks away from Matt. So Matt decides to drag the tree to the 'checkout' area. This is when people started staring at us.

A high school girl (wearing a bright orange 'Wilbert's may I help you' smock) approaches us and asks if we'd like a fresh cut. I think to myself, um, no, we just grabbed a precut tree. But then I tell her that this is our first time and we have no clue what we are doing. She smiles and explains, then tells us we do want to get one. Okay, now go put your tree by the chainsaw. So we lie the tree down next to the chainsaw and wait. People around us are either staring at us or scurrying on their way, or both. Another Wilbert's employee walks up to the chainsaw and looks at Matt expectantly. Matt stares back blankly. 'Yes?' she asks. Matt throws back his new knowledge with a smile on his face, 'Fresh cut, please!" "Okay," replies the no-nonsense lady, "How do you want it cut?" Puzzled, Matt pauses, then answers "Straight!" Not amused, the lady scoffs and rolls her eyes. I was too lazy to speak up and tell her we had no clue what she wanted to know, but oh well, she can go on thinking Matt is a jerk. Not until speaking with a few friends did we learn possible 'correct' answers to that question!

We continue to follow the tree, while on-lookers stare. They had a tree shaking machine that completely mesmerized Max... and us too. Then a quick trip into a barrel that wraps up the tree in mesh... all done! We take our tree and proceed to the truck - oh wait, aren't we supposed to pay for these things? Where do we pay? Where do we pay? An employee points out our mistake. We were supposed to leave the tree by the chainsaw, go in and pay while they 'did up the tree,' and then when we were done, the tree would be waiting... oops! Shouldn't there be signs? There are. Instead of continuing the comical tree hunt story with how we couldn't figure out how to tie the tree to the top of the truck, we threw it in the back of the Explorer... right on top of the groceries!

Lots of friends have gotten good giggles out of our story, so I am sure you enjoyed it too! I promise... we have learned and will be better tree hunters next year... although cutting down our own tree is still years away. Some other tree 'rules' we have learned since our experience? The first water you give your tree should be hot. We were supposed to buy a tree bag and put it around the base of the tree before we set everything up. The Henwoods tip the tree shaker/wrappers, but none of our other friends do. ;-) Do you have any other tips?

I don't have any pics from the hunt, but here are some 'after' pics!