Getting a Christmas tree has always been a fun part of the holiday season for many of us Oregonians. The best part of doing it here in Mt. Hood Territory is that you don't have to go down to some converted parking lot where the trees have been thrown into a pile like your kid's dirty laundry. From our cities to the valley to the mountain, our climate is perfect for growing beautiful, fragrant Christmas trees, and you can select yours directly from the farm... still in the ground! The smell is amazing, the views from the farms are surreal and the fun of taking the family out to cut your own Christmas tree makes lifelong memories that can easily turn into the kind of traditions that become a defining part of growing up... or being a grownup.
Oregon actually grows more Christmas trees than any other state in the country, and Clackamas County (Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory) is the top seller of Christmas trees in the entire country. Nothing serves as a better start to the holiday season than getting the family together and heading out into the fields of one of our many u-cut tree farms. The trees are fresher, that authentic Christmas tree smell is stronger, and the tree is just more special when you’ve chosen that perfect one from a field that seemingly stretches for miles.
No matter if you've got one type of tree that you get every year, or like to get something different each Christmas to mix things up a bit, you'll find all of the most popular tree varieties. Of course the two most popular types, Douglas fir and noble are common at the farms. But you can also find lesser-known varieties like blue spruce, grands and Nordmann.
The grands have become the go-to tree in our house, as it's a wonderful combination of the smell of a Douglas with a little more space for the ornaments that the nobles provides. Whatever you get, it will be fresh and smell amazing.
Of course you don’t have to cut the tree yourself. Or if you just don’t want to, many of the farms will let you choose your own and then do the work themselves. Some farms even offer flocking, fresh wreaths, hot cocoa, gift shops, hay rides and all sorts of other fun ways to get you into the holiday spirit. And with farms located in the urban, valley and mountain regions of The Territory, you’re always close to where you will find the perfect centerpiece of your holiday decorations.
So start a new tradition this Christmas and make your way to Mt. Hood Territory to select your tree. You could always make a weekend of it and find the perfect hotel, vacation rental or even bed & breakfast to start the season together.
Next Steps: Find the farm nearest you