By Liz Hill: Townsquare Media Oneonta Intern

Over the years, artificial Christmas trees have gained a lot of popularity nationwide. With the options ranging from realistic green pine to hot pink fluff, why is the real tree tradition dying?

Is everyone too busy to go find the perfect tree cut it down, throw it on top of their car and bring it home to decorate? You could head to your nearest shopping center and pick up a pre-lit/ pre-decorated tree in half that time. It still looks good… but does it smell the same? Does it bring your family together in the same way?

The fake trees is outlawed in my household,... mainly because it doesn’t weigh enough to withstand cats jumping in and out of it, or the dog running around it in circles. A few years back we had to start the tradition of holding the top of the tree up with wire so it didn’t come crashing down in the middle of the night.

The holiday season has become a very fast paced celebration with friends and family. Work, shopping and trying to find that perfect hiding place for those presents you bought for your kids takes up a lot of time. Not to mention the mess of needles you will still be finding throughout your house in July and August. But, there is something about that smell, that hike to find that perfect tree and those Christmas lights glistening on the real forest green that will keep the old fashioned tree alive in my household.

Listed below are some places you can go and pick up your tree if you haven’t already:

Annuto’s Farm Stand: 5396 State Highway 7, Oneonta.

Fox Hollow Nursery: 2751 State Highway 23, West Oneonta. Phone 607-263-5764 for hours.

Lundin’s Tree Farm: 3552 State Route 7, Otego. Christmas trees are available beginning Dec. 5. Hours: M-F 12-5 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Spruce trees $30, Fir trees $35. Also being sold: Wreaths and Kissing balls.

Pie in the Sky: 3883 State Highway 7, Otego. Christmas trees available seven days a week as well as wreaths.

Salo’s: State Hwy. 51, a mile south of West Burlington. Fresh trees or cut your own. Hours: W-F 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Santa’s Forest: State Route 23 on Creighton Road. Christmas Trees for $25. Open weekends until Dec. 22 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Thompson Tree Farm: 274 Corbin Road, Bennettsville. Fir and Blue Spruce trees for $25. Hours: Friday-Sunday.

Christmas trees and wreaths: Lebanon Reservoir, Hamilton and 15 Conkey Ave. Norwich. Phone 315-404-7406.

Corner of Black River Road and East Main St., Norwich: Christmas trees and wreaths for sale. Hours: Sunday-Thursday until 6 p.m.; Friday, Saturday until 8 p.m.

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