Holiday harvest: In search of the perfect Christmas tree

For locals in the High Country of western North Carolina, author Gloria Houston’s children’s book “The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree” is as revered as much as the area’s famed cathead biscuits and sweet tea. There’s not a single home up any holler or down any cove that doesn’t have this book tucked on a shelf, waiting to be read aloud every December.

I happened to grow up near the exact location where the story is set — below the cold shadow of Grandfather Mountain.

Set in 1918, Houston tells the story of little Ruthie and her mother fulfilling their promise to provide the community church with the perfect Christmas tree for the annual pageant. Papa has been called off to war, so Ruthie and mama set out on a snowy Christmas Eve to climb the highest "craig" of the mountain and harvest the balsam they had tagged back in the spring.

It’s a touching story about family and perseverance, and offers a good reminder for kids and adults alike about counting your blessings.

Houston weaves in the area’s unique dialect that was influenced by Scotch and Irish settlers, so some of the dialogue might be tricky for “off mountain” folk to follow. The illustrations by Barbara Cooney are endearing and will draw in even the younger readers who might not follow the story line.

THIS BOOK has been apart of my life since it was first released in 1988, and is perhaps the reason why I’ve always preferred to harvest a Christmas tree from the wild.

As kids, my sister and I would tromp around the North Carolina woods with loppers and snip little Charlie Brown trees for our bedrooms.

When I moved to Montana, I’d stalk trees in Bozeman’s Hyalite Canyon and later Pattee Canyon in Missoula.

My wife and I have gone to the same secret patch on the Tally Lake Ranger District since we moved to the Flathead, and now go there with three little ones in tow.

The experience is even more special when shared with kids. We load up in the pickup, playing carols on the drive out and slowly creep along Forest Service roads until we spy “the meadow” where fir and spruce trees just the right size grow in clusters.

Finding the perfect one can be more difficult following fresh snowfall, as they all look so beautiful when caked in ice and powder — it takes a good shake of the trunk to reveal the imperfections and gaps.

With kids, it's a good idea to keep the hunt to 20 minutes or less — the fun can end abruptly with frozen fingers and toes.

THERE ARE some rules to follow, as defined by the Forest Service.

First, you’ll need a permit, which are free in 2021 aside from the $2.50 transaction fee when purchased online at Recreation.gov. Trees need to be harvested from public Forest Service land, away from campgrounds and other well-used areas, and out of active timber sales.

The max height is 12 feet (no Griswold trees allowed) and you should take the whole tree, don’t just lop off the top.

Don’t forget to bring a handsaw (doh!), gloves (sap) and straps to secure it to your vehicle. A thermos of hot chocolate or coffee is also highly recommended.

Our tree this year is on the skinny side. We took it from a crowded patch and one portion is a little less full. The issue was easily solved by facing that side toward the corner.

The Forest Service actually encourages people to cut from overcrowded stands. “As young stands of trees mature, they are constantly competing for more space,” the Forest Service notes. “By cutting your Christmas tree from dense groups around the more vigorous trees, the remaining trees will grow faster to make our future forest.”

Yet another reason to consider finding a tree in the wild — not only will you create lifelong memories, but you’ll help foster a healthier forest.

I do highly recommend “The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree” as a worthy addition to your holiday book collection. It’s rated with 4.5 stars on Good Reads and is available for purchase at many book stores online.

“Papa says the balsam grows high on the rocky craig up near heaven where only the venturesome man will go,” Ruthie says in the book.

So venture on, in search of your “perfect Christmas tree” this season.