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Our Tree | Straight From The Field

Growing up I was used to the same artificial tree coming down from the loft every year. We had a beautiful one, not too big, with fake snow on all of the branches.
Then I met my husband and was introduced to real trees. I didn't get the appeal at first. Ok, it looked nice but MY GOODNESS, the mess!!
We moved in together and carried on with having a real tree and I started to really get the appeal. Ok, there was still the mess but it depended on the type of tree we chose.
And I soon realised how lovely it was to have the tradition of going out to pick the tree, work out a way of getting it home, then cutting open the netting to be smacked in the face and in the eyes by a few prickly branches, and at the same time having a pile of dead pines dump onto the floor, and seeing your cat's eyes light up at the smell of something he might be allowed to scratch and wee against.

After Charles was born we decided to get an artificial tree, thinking it would be the most sensible option with a baby.
For us it didn't create the same thrill getting it down from the loft as it did to go out and choose which one we wanted.
After two years of getting it down from the loft we were suitably unimpressed at the damaged "branches" and decided to go back to what we knew and loved.
When we lived in Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire we had a particular garden centre we would go to to choose our tree, but back in Suffolk we decided to go to a local farm.
There is something so special about seeing the trees still in the fields, and those that have already been cut and are awaiting someone to come along, select them and take them home.

My husband has been really poorly the past couple of weeks and it has made me feel really down. Just seeing him that poorly, keeping the house going, doing bedtime with the boys and so on. We had planned to get the tree on the 1st but we knew he wouldn't be well enough and rather than changing to a week later we agreed that I would go and get the tree myself.
Thankfully my mum was able to come along too so I didn't have to deal with two excited boys and the tree search.

I have never seen the farm so busy, and as a result of it being so busy the area which is usually full of pre-cut trees was almost empty.
I saw two tree's I liked but we decided to go to the fields anyway to have a walk.
And there I found the tree.
As I walked past it I commented on it's perfect shape, and despite us usually getting a massive tree we wanted something a little smaller. This one ticked all the boxes.
The member of staff came over and we talked about the tree, how to care for it etc and after asking him if he would buy it for himself and him saying yes, and agreeing with me about it being the perfect shape, you know how some real tree's tend to have that side that will be against the wall because it has a bald patch or is a funny shape? Well this one is perfect all the way around.
We'd also both decided the tree was a he, something we realised after chatting for a while and saying "he is perfect" "his pines are unlikely to drop", and after being told I could have the ladybird who was living on him for free, the man set to chopping him down.

We've never done this before so it was interesting to be able to watch and be part of the whole process.
Off the tree went on a trailer to the barn where it was wrapped all cosy in the netting. I parted with £35 and then my mum and I struggled to carry the tree to the car and thankfully managed to get it in with no hassle at all. It fit perfectly.

I think this is the best tree we have ever had, and I genuinely can't stop looking at it.
Is it possible to be in love with a tree? Labels: Christmas, local, suffolk
