8 People Share The Christmas Tree Traditions That Make Their Holidays Extra Special

The best time of the year is better with a real Christmas tree.

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about their favorite holiday tradition involving real Christmas trees. Here's what they shared!

1. Picking out a Christmas tree is the start of the holiday season.

amy3seasblue

"Going to pick out and cut our Christmas tree marks the beginning of the holiday season! It’s a special time that has evolved as our children have grown. They still love dropping everything to enjoy a day out together. The whole process is nostalgic for me since ‘going for the tree’ is my most vivid memory of my father from when I was a child. It was a special time he set aside for us and I will remember it always. I can’t imagine assembling the same prefab tree year after year. Each one of our live trees becomes part of the family for a few weeks and has its own special charm and character."

—amy3seasblue

2. Picking a tree is fun for the whole fam.

christierichard09

"A few years ago, we were on vacation in Tennessee right on the border of North Carolina. On our way home, we decided to stop in NC to a choose-and-cut farm. We picked out a beautiful 10-foot Fraser Fir, tied it to the top of the car, and drove it back home to Florida. It was the most fun we've had picking out a Christmas tree."

—christierichard09

3. Looking for a tree is a fun activity that doesn't involve a screen.

Elizabethsalleebauer / Getty Images/RooM RF

"My favorite Christmas tree shopping tradition isn’t particularly unique but very precious to me. And that’s taking a chilly winter weeknight, skipping the TV and video games, and just going together as a family. We dress up in Santa hats and scarves (even though we’re in California and it’s not really that cold), and make an event of it. Everyone gets into the friendly argument on the perfect tree and then how to get it on top of the car and into the house. Once we’re home, we put on Christmas music, make some cocoa (with candy canes!), and decorate it as a family. Then for the rest of the season, we have a beautiful tree and a nice memory of family time!"

—oaklandjackie

4. Cutting down a Christmas tree is fun for everyone.

ashley4321

"There is a cut-your-own-tree farm in my town. The first year my husband and I moved here, we went and had a blast! It was both of our first times cutting down a tree. We’ve been back every year ever since, except last year due to the pandemic. Hoping it’ll be open this season! The picture is from our first year."

—ashley4321

5. A little healthy sibling rivalry is always fun.

Solstock / Getty Images

"My favorite Christmas tree memories involve picking out the tree and somehow always choosing the best option compared to my brother, then decorating the tree with my favorite ornaments that I made when I was little and watching the dogs and cats all get used to the new addition during December (and end up loving it)!"

 —emmaheeger

6. A real tree keeps the magic alive for future generations.

Cavan Images / Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

"I grew up in Northern California — not too far from a magical place called Apple Hill. My dad would wake us up early on a December Saturday. We'd sleep in the car until we got to one of the cut-your-own-tree farms. We'd get bundled up, drink apple cider, and eat apple cider donuts before snowshoeing around the ranch until we found our perfect tree. We'd continue to eat more apple-themed things before heading back home with the tree strapped on top of the station wagon. Such a sweet memory. I now live in LA with two young kiddos and sadly don't have access to this kind of tree farm; so instead, we've been getting living Christmas trees. Not quite as 'magical' but my kids still love it!"

—meegsbeegs

7. The scent of pine is dog-approved.

mayahartleben1

"Some of my absolute favorite holiday memories are going to pick out a Christmas tree with my family each year. We go to the grocery store, which seems odd but honestly it gives such a vibe with its reindeer and decorations. Literally bottle the (grocery store) Christmas tree smell up and I’ll buy it out. And then we end the night with a free ice cream with our purchase!! THE BEST ICE CREAM. No contest. Here is a picture confirming our tree is dog approved."

—mayahartleben1

8. And some of us are extra serious about finding that perfect tree.

Rgstudio / Getty Images

"The hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. My family and my mom get real trees. Two weeks before Christmas, we all gather: My wife and kids, two of my sisters and their families, my mom, and I embark on the hunt. We like eight-foot-tall and really fat Douglas Firs. The stories we tell along the way, the memories we make each year. Like the year the one tree fell off the car. The hunt for the perfect tree can last for one hour or span the course of the weekend. One year, we went to over 15 tree farms to end up at the local fire department to buy a tree."

—j74murphy

There's nothing like a real Christmas tree around the holidays. Visit ItsChristmasKeepitReal.com to use the experience locator and find a real Christmas tree near you!