Christmas Tree Hunt

Are you ready for the family outing of the year? It’s time for the great Christmas tree hunt of 2008! There are two ways you can go about it…

 

Option #1: Go to the garage and search through the mounds of stuff until you find the heavy dusty box. Open it to find a once $200 squished and mangled fake tree…along with other things (cob webs and petrified mouse turds) Mount it on a stand inside and spread out all the branches and limbs. Plug it in to find out the pre-strung lights no longer work. What a joyous and memorable occasion!  

Option #2: Go to your local forest service office and give them five bucks for a permit. Pick up some free hiking guides and informative outdoor literature while you’re at it. Enjoy a scenic ride through the forest. Exit the vehicle to the overwhelming aroma of pine and fresh cool air. Hike amongst the tall swaying trees and soft pine needle floor. Search for the perfect tree that will grace your living room throughout this Christmas holiday. Smell the sawdust as you glide back and forth with saw in hand. Wait! You need a family picture before you tie it to the top rack. Bring the tree along with its reminiscence of the days events into your living room. Enjoy the outdoors in your home for weeks to come!

You may have noticed that I’m a bit biased when it comes to a Christmas tree hunt. For the past 8 years my family and I have cut our Christmas tree down ourselves. It’s a family outing that encourages nature for kids and one that I could never do without!

Important things to remember:

• Be dressed in appropriate winter gear
• Don’t forget a saw and tie downs
• Objects in forest are larger than they appear (it may not fit in your living room)
• Have an emergency kit in your vehicle
• Four-wheel drive is always nice
• Follow Forest Service guidelines (some trees are not to be cut down and others are encouraged)
• Be sure no critters hitch a ride to your house on the tree 
• Rather than take your tree to the dump consider composting or mulching your Christmas tree at home or use it as firewood for those summer camping trips to come. Maybe plant a tree in its place as well.

Have a great Christmas everyone and I hope we’ve encouraged you here at Nature For Kids to go on your own fun family outing. I leave you now with a tribute to “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”. Oh the things we can all learn from Clark W. Griswold.

family outing, nature for kids, outdoor adventure, christmas tree, forest service

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