Christmas Countdown: O Christmas Tree
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 2nd, 2011
Friday, Dec. 2, 2011
There’s no denying it–it’s Christmas time. Sure, it’s been unseasonably warm lately, but it’s already been a week since Thanksgiving. Christmas is coming fast. And to make things extra special, we here at the Game Plan are doing a Christmas countdown! We’ll be posting different Christmas events every day until the big day! Check out what we’ve got already, plus some shopping tips from our blog-mates at S.W.A.G.
If you’re not quite in the Christmas mood yet, nothing changes that faster than putting up a Christmas tree. And there’s no better way to obtain a Christmas tree than to cut your very own. Luckily, Northern Virginia has lots of places for you to do just that.
Photo: Shutterstock/Lori Sparkia
A great place to start is the Middleburg Christmas Tree Farm. They have thousands of trees. And if you love to go big, over one-third of those trees are more than 9 feet tall. You don’t need to bring much, other than food. They have plenty of saws and tree carts on hand, as well as everything else you need to get it home, for free.
Prices are just $60 per tree, with 10 more dollars per foot if you want a tree more than 9 feet. But if you want a tree more than 16 feet tall, the cost is $350.
They only take cash and checks. They’re open Saturdays and Sundays only, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check them out at Christmas Tree Lane, Round Hill, VA, 20141.
Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm is a Christmas experience. The farm offers delicious, steaming-hot cider for free. Also on the premises is a snack shack with hot dogs and the like, and a sales barn with local goods, including lots more cider to take home.
Oh, and the trees–they, too, have thousands of trees. Prices are slightly more expensive for smaller trees, but much cheaper for big trees. Anything over 10 feet tall is just $105.
Snickers Gap provides saws and twine for free, but they highly recommend sturdier bindings to haul your tree home. They suggest bringing bungee cords or straps to fasten your tree to your car.
They’re open all week. Monday through Friday from noon to dark, and on weekends from 9 a.m. to dark. Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm is at 34350 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill, VA, 20141.
Here are even more options:
Buttonwood Christmas Tree Farm
22042 Newlin Mill Road
Middleburg, VA 20117
540-687-3260
Country Loving Christmas Tree Farm
40830 Red Hill Road
Leesburg, VA 20175
Photo: Shutterstock/Vlue
Unfortunately, Northern Virginia’s more urbanized areas, including Fairfax, don’t have cut-your-own Christmas trees. But the trek out to Loudoun is well worth it–you’ll get amazing scenery and an instant jolt of Christmas spirit. Of course, if you really don’t feel like cutting your own, virtually every parking lot in the region has pre-cut tree lots.
Once you get the tree home, follow these tips for a fresh, beautiful tree that’ll last the whole season:
First, make a fresh cut at the base of the tree, about a quarter-inch above the current cut.
Make sure you have a voluminous tree stand–one that holds a gallon or more of water.
And just keep watering it. Really, you can’t water your tree too much. Monitor the water level and ensure it never recedes past the base of the tree.
If you follow those steps, your tree should be looking good through New Year’s.
Here are some awesome facts about Christmas trees.
–Matt Basheda
Tags: Buttonwood Christmas tree farm, christmas, Christmas Countdown, Christmas tree farms, Country Loving Christmas tree farm, culture gurus, Entertainment, Events, game plan, Matt Basheda, Middleburg Christmas tree farm, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, Snickers Gap Christmas tree farm, things to do