Selecting and cutting our own Christmas Tree at Unicorn Hill Farm in Gainesville, Florida was such a great family experience!

We moved to Gainesville, Florida about 18 months ago. Last Christmastime, we visited our local hardware store to purchase a Christmas tree, as we always had in South Florida, but this year, we had different plans. We visited the Unicorn Hill Christmas Tree Farm and picked out our own tree! This was such a fun experience for our family that we will definitely do again next year.

 

So Many Trees at the Christmas Tree Farm

We started our trip to Unicorn Hill by wandering around. There were four separate areas with many different varieties of trees that grow well in Northern Florida. With so many different types of trees, it was hard to pick one, so we had a little fun wandering around and touching, smelling, experiencing them all since it was the baby’s first christmas australia General.

 

Varieties Available at the Christmas Tree Farm

Because we are used to buying the standard firs, pines, etc. available in stores, I really didn’t know what type of tree to get. There were several varieties available:

• Carolina Sapphire
• Red Cedar
• Sand Pine
• Spruce Pine
• Burkii Cedar

After visiting all four sections of the Christmas Tree Farm, we were finally ready to pick a tree! The tricky part was agreeing on one we all liked.

 

Selecting a Tree at the Christmas Tree Farm

Richard wanted a fat tree, Bryce wanted a tree that was “not blue” {like the Carolina Sapphire}, and I wanted one that wasn’t too short. This is the tree we finally decided upon, a Red Cedar. The trees are quite reasonably priced. I believe this was about $40.

Time to cut it down. Unicorn Hill provides you with a small saw to chop down your tree. The trunks were quite slender, so it only took a minute to cut. Richard hauled the tree to the check-out line {although a golf cart was available to assist with larger trees}, the loose leaves/needles were shaken off, and we tied the tree to the car ourselves. 

Just a few pointers we learned while selecting/cutting our own tree:

1. A wide tree requires a large area in your home. Consider this before purchasing a tree that is just as thick as it is tall.
2. Touch the needles of the tree to make sure they are soft. The needles of this tree were a bit rough, making decorating a challenge.
3. Make sure the branches of the tree are the right size/shape for hanging ornaments. Pull down on them a little to see if some of your heavier ornaments can be hung.
4. Try to find a tree with a thicker trunk so it is easier to secure in your Christmas tree sand.
5. Remember to bring your camera to take lots of pictures of your adventure!
6. Check for online coupons. Unicorn Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Gainesville, Florida has a $2 off email coupon.
7. Look online around Thanksgiving time to see when your Christmas tree farm opens for the season. You don’t want to get stuck with the very last available tree.
8.  Water, water, water your Christmas tree when you bring it home!

Have you visited a Christmas tree farm to select your own tree?

We are excited to make shopping at a Christmas tree farm a new family tradition!