When I was a kid we had a store bought Christmas tree. There’s nothing wrong with that, I have many a fond memory of waking up on Christmas morning to a sack full of presents under that very tree. Growing up I used to watch Christmas movies where the families would choose a fresh tree for Christmas and I always wanted to do that. When the kids were old enough that’s exactly what we started to do. I have to say it’s been a challenge with a wheelchair because not all of the Christmas tree farms are wheelchair accessible and you can guarantee that I’ll find the best tree in the furthest corner of a field.
Finally we’ve found a compromise. A farm where the trees are tall and full bodied AND there’s reasonable wheelchair access. We can even drive right to the trees. Hubby is happy because although I loved the tradition of him cutting our own tree, as he rightly pointed out, I wasn’t the one on hands and knees moving the saw back and forwards till the tree toppled. At the farm we now go to the owner, Roy, cuts it with a chain saw. I think the chain saw is cheating but then I’m not doing it.
Our Christmas is filled with traditions and I love this start to the festivities.
One item we collect when we travel is Christmas ornaments. We have a festive Statue of Liberty, a New York cab, a Disneyland bauble and the Hollywood sign with Santa, to mention a few. It’s lovely hanging each ornament at Christmas and thinking of the places we’ve been over the years. It’s a trip down memory lane with each one. Not to mention all the Christmas craft items each of the kids have made over the years. It may be a mish mash of items but we love it.
CHOOSING YOUR OWN TREE
We’ve tried 4 different Christmas tree farms over the years and in our opinion Roy’s is the best. The trees are $80 and are great quality. They are plump and come in varying heights. Roy has a measuring stick to ensure you don’t buy one that is too tall to fit in the lounge room. We take a tarp to wrap the tree so it stays nice on the drive home, ropes for tying it to the roof and because of the heat and buying it early in the season we water bombed the base of the tree (put wet paper towel and wrapped a plastic bag around the base so it didn’t dry out).
Despite recent knee surgery Roy cuts the tree and gets it to the car and helps put it on the roof. It’s great service.
If you prefer to get your tree closer to Christmas then I suggest choosing one in advance and paying a deposit. Close to Christmas the farms either sell out or only have the spindly ones left.
Roy’s Christmas Tree Farm is in North West Sydney in Glenorie
882 Old Northern Road, Glenorie
Open 4 December and then from 10 December until sold out.
You’ll notice several other Christmas tree farms closer to Dural but they are significantly more expensive so keep driving and enjoy the pretty countryside.
If you have a child who cannot help decorate the Christmas tree because it’s too hard you may like to check out my post on a felt Christmas tree for children with special needs here.
I’d love to hear about your traditions.
Do you get a fresh tree? Can you recommend somewhere which is accessible?
This is not a sponsored post, we paid for our tree in full.
What a special tree!
I’ve never seen one like it.
It has such a perfect shape and bushy branches.
Does it smell like an european tree?
Here we buy trees at the big DIY stores or at the street corner in town where tempory stalls are set up.
You can also rent trees, they come with roots and after new year you return them to the grower until the next year.