{"id":7582,"date":"2025-12-10T11:02:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T16:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertxgillis.com\/?p=7582"},"modified":"2025-12-10T11:05:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T16:05:47","slug":"story-the-search-for-the-perfect-christmas-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.robertxgillis.com\/?p=7582","title":{"rendered":"Story: The Search for the PERFECT Christmas Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Robert Gillis 12\/2025

This is the story I told at Foxboro’s Marylyn Rodman Performing Arts Center “Fox Tales” series in December 2025, the basis of the story is a column I wrote for The Reporter many years ago, and expanded with other real-life memories of the hunt for the ‘perfect’ Christmas tree. Enjoy.
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Good evening and Merry everything and welcome to my TED talk on seasonal frostbite!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of Christmas trees, when Susan and I first got together, we would get a real tree each December.   Both our families had switched to artificial trees, and we yearned for the balsam fir aroma and \u201creal\u201d trees of our youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, we would just stop at one of the handy LOCAL trees lots located on just about every corner, choose a tree (OOOHH, we\u2019ll get to that), and drive home and set it up.   Convenient, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problem was, these trees were cut back in August and shipped in trucks, and they just don\u2019t last very long. On two occasions, they didn\u2019t even last through the Christmas season despite constant care.  One-year, true story, we actually needed to take down a tree and buy a new one four days before Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SO — Years ago, before we came to our senses and picked up a beautiful artificial tree ourselve<\/u>s, we had (FOR A WHILE<\/u>) an annual Christmas tradition that I, well, didn\u2019t LOVE<\/u>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susan wanted to go to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree.   Just like on Hallmark, and in the movies.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That FIRST time was memorable because it set the template for each subsequent \u201ctree trek\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: Christmas tree farms tend to be VERY FAR AWAY.   I think it\u2019s a law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So — It\u2019s years ago and might have been Westport (really), or might have been Uxbridge (really), because remember the law, tree farm has to be FAR AWAY — but finally, we found it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, there we were \u2013 A REAL Christmas tree farm!  The romance and Christmas spirit was intoxicating \u2014 as visions of Norman Rockwell Cards (and Chevy Chase Christmas movies) danced in our heads!   We were amazed by the VAST fields of trees. A light snow was falling. Couples walked hand in hand.  Kids squealing with excitement!  You could smell the cider mulling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is wonderful, I thought to myself. It\u2019s so romantic! So Christmassy! So \u2026 So \u2026 So \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, so cold<\/u><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To further add to the Christmas adventure, Susan and I have \u2013 then and now — somewhat different opinions over what constitutes the perfect tree. For me, a classification of \u201cThis one is nice<\/u><\/strong>\u201d will do. For Susan, she needs to see the rays of light shining on the tree from the heavens, the music playing on the wind, every branch and pine needle in perfect symmetry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has actually said words to this effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO — Finding the PERFECT tree takes TIME.  LOTS of time walking through ten thousand acres of trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susan is holding a map of the tree farm — The sections are numbered from one to the North Pole and we trudge across the frozen wasteland with other searchers like snow zombies. A sign reminds us to watch our step because of the abundant cut tree trunks; I trip over them anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the temperature drops and hypothermia<\/strong> becomes a very real possibility, I do my best to keep smiling, because I love her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susan looks at me.  \u201cOh, I know, you\u2019re cold<\/u><\/em><\/strong>,\u201d she says, the emphasis on that last word dropping the temperature another ten more degrees.  She insists: \u201cIt\u2019s fun! It\u2019s Christmassy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s cold,\u201d I remind her. I\u2019m whining<\/em>. I hate it when I whine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I point — \u201cHow about this one?\u201d It\u2019s a nice tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou just want to pick anything so we can go,\u201d Susan says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYES<\/u><\/strong>!\u201d my brain screams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d I say out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, seemingly hours later, somewhere between Uxbridge and Connecticut and the Planet Neptune, Susan points out a tree. \u201cI like this one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPraise be to God,\u201d I think to myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOk,\u201d I say out loud with hopes overflowing, \u201clet\u2019s call the tree guys to cut it down and wrap it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr maybe that one,\u201d she says, pointing in the far, far distance. \u201cWhich one do you like?\u201d she asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trick question.   I reply back with the ONLY safe answer: \u201cWhichever one you like, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, finally she picks one, and it is a good choice.  Took nearly 90 minutes, can\u2019t feel my feet, lips are probably blue — but it\u2019s a beautiful tree.  Maybe we can decorate it at Urgent Care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Christmas Farm \u2018Tree Trek\u2019 went on \u2013 pretty much the exact same way each visit — for more than a few years, and what I remember — each time we did this, despite the cold and endless searching and cold and indecision and cold and long drive and cold\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I remember most about those tree treks was that it was the tree that made Susan happy, it was the tree that felt \u201cright\u201d to her, and despite the possibility of my freezing to death, I did enjoy our annual adventure of finding the \u201cperfect\u201d Christmas tree.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a while.<\/u><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years later, I\u2019m happy to say we BOTH have come to our senses and nowadays either pick up a real tree LOCALLY<\/strong> (and take our chances,  hoping it lasts two weeks) or we use the nice artificial tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which brings us full circle — a few years back Susan and I were at Lamberts in Dedham (LOCAL!  INSIDE!); Susan is still looking for the perfect tree<\/u><\/strong> and I\u2019m still in \u201cthis one is nice\u201d mode and she wanders off to an adjacent warehouse of even more trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, as I wander through the forest I see a young couple, guy and a girl and they are clearly NEW to the whole \u2018couple\u2019 thing and the \u2018first Christmas tree\u2019 thing because no lie, at one point, young woman stops their tree search and says FIRMLY to the young guy, and I quote, \u201cThis is a VERY<\/u><\/strong> important decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Spoiler alert: It\u2019s not)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I see his face, and I\u2019ve been there so many times, and I didn\u2019t say anything, but I just sort of looked at the poor bastard and just wanted to say these words of wisdom, wisdom I will now impart to all of you \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get the tree your wife wants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your opinion, your idea\u2026 {pause<\/strong>}, yeah, no, she wants the PERFECT<\/u><\/strong> tree.  Your opinion is decorative<\/u><\/em> at best.  And you love her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: When choosing the perfect tree — it\u2019s all worth it \u2013 because it makes her HAPPY at Christmas time.  And that is awesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because when you get that tree home\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n