Virginia Pine

Well we got our tree this weekend. It is a bit early for us. We usually get the tree after number 2 son's birthday on the 16th. This is risky business around here. Every year it has been suspenseful: have the tree-sellers overbought or underbought? We have had years where we picked up a grand tree for FREE and we've had years where we have paid top dollar as there were few trees to be found.

This year we decided to take the stress out of the anticipation and buy early. Now this is can be risky itself. This year the tree stands were up the week before Thanksgiving around here. These are usually Fraser Furs which have been shipped in-they don't grow below certain elevations. So by December 8th (the day we bought our tree) most of the trees available had been cut several weeks before.

Now that might be okay if you are a Protestant who believes Christmas ENDS on December 25th and throw their tree out ont he 25th or 26th-as is the custom around here.

But if you are Catholic and plan on having your tree up during the REAL Christmas season, then these Fraser Furs available now just won't make it to January 6th or beyond (we often have our tree up until the Presentation on 2 February.)

What to do? We went to Pa-Pa John's Christmas tree farm on Route 903, about 20 miles up the road. He had cut Fraser Furs from North Carolina, but he also had a nice selection of 4 other types of trees which were still in the ground, ready to be freshly cut to order.

We loved the Leyland Cypress. They are green with good shape, and don't shed much. But I am not sure their branches could take all our ornaments and decorations. The Leyland cypress don't have that pine smell (or the "Christmas smell" as one daughter put it.)

We finally selected a Virginia Pine (the picture is NOT ours-just a VA pine photo clipped from the internet). It is not as full as the Fraser Furs and the Leland Cypress-but it is a big and long-needled pine with the 'smell of Christmas'.

This tree is the biggest we've had since moving to the country.

Pa-Pa John's Christmas tree farm was great place to buy the tree. The prices were reasonable in comparison to everyone else's and the people very friendly. I would recommend them if you are in the area....

AND we are doing something different this year. Mrs. Curley is going to put purple ribbons on the tree. When it comes time to decorate the tree, the purple will be removed and the Christmas decorations put on.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Our Lady of Joyful Hope-pray for us! ... Oremus pro invicem!