Trucks & Trees

I guess I’ve never given this much thought. While sitting here for a few minutes this morning, picked up a St. Pete Times to find an article about Christmas trees and how they arrive here in Florida every year.

I was born & raised in Western, NY. Christmas trees were abundant and the annual pilgrimage in search of “the perfect tree ” happened every holiday season. The Boy Scouts sold trees on almost every street corner or set-up in plazas. Some of the nurseries would carry a wide array of beautiful trees and the wreaths to match. For the “old-fashioned” Christmas feeling, you could pick a day and walk through acres of cut-your own pines. They were everywhere and you would trudge through the woods, sometimes in rather deep snow and return home, with the frozen tree in tow, and have a cup of hot chocolate near the fire. I moved to Florida, never giving a thought to what happens to Christmas trees in a warm climate?

Finding “the perfect tree” in Florida is a lot more challenging. Nearly all our Christmas trees you see for sale in parking lots or perhaps road side stands or flea markets. You can surely find a selection of trees at Loew’s or Home Depot and yes, on occasion, you see Boy Scouts selling some, set up in plazas. Where do we get our trees from and how they get transported here. Some of our trees may come out of North Carolina, Michigan, as far north as Oregon. Trees that are grown in the north need to be protected from the warmth. Often times these trees will travel south, still dusted with snow and ice,on refrigerated vans. Upon arriving here, pre-season, they are stored in refrigerated vaults until they are set up for the holiday rush. So, trucks bring a majority of the trees to Florida!

Much to my suprise, as well, I read where Florida also has cut-your-own tree farms. In comparison to our northern neighbors, we only sell about 20,000 trees annually. Somehow, Christmas trees in Florida just look so entirely different than that of the traditional Christmas tree. And the cost to purchase a fresh northern tree is quite pricey. Again, guess I never gave too much thought about Christmas trees in Florida. At the end of the holiday season, people need to dispose of their trees and many are carted off into Recycle Centers. Again, mainly by trucks, big dump body trucks, haul them away. Again trucks & trees. Another thought that comes to mind is that National Van Lines hauled the 2006 Capitol Tree. They will be transporting next year’s Capitol Christmas tree…trucks & trees.

After living in Florida for the past several years, I now have an artificial Christmas tree…I don’t have to worry about pine needles falling on my carpet, don’t concern myself with checking the water level on a real tree, and can easily pack it away in a box until next Christmas…However, I realize, the trees needed to make it to the retailers to sell…Again, thank goodness for trucks & trees!