There’s nothing like an old-fashioned live Christmas tree to make the house smell like fresh piney woods. Plus, there’s the whole ritual of going to the farm and picking out your Christmas tree as a family. Picking a tree can sometimes be a full day’s outing, with hot chocolate, hay rides, petting zoos, and photos with Santa.
You’re guaranteed to find the perfect tree at one of these great Florida Christmas Tree Farms, whether you want a tree that touches the ceiling, or if it’s the Charlie Brown tree that melts your heart.
Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest – Eustis
At Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm, you can pick your perfect tree—and zip above the evergreens on a 400 foot long zip line, pet some adorable animals, ride a horse or ride in a wagon full of hay, enjoy some snacks, and document it all with a picture with Santa. The farm is open for Christmas tree sales daily from November 29 through December 22.
Watson Christmas Tree Farm – Oak Hill
Watson Christmas Tree Farm was begun in 1991 and remains family-run. If you’re a serious Christmas tree shopper, this is the place to go. You can choose from Leyland Cypress and Red Cedar or Frasier Firs. The Farm is open throughout December, until the 22nd.
Ergle Trees – Dade City
Live near Dade City? Get your trees and wreaths at Ergle Trees. You can cut your own or buy a pre-cut tree, or if you want to plant your tree at the end of the season, Ergle offers potted trees with root balls. Meet the barnyard animals, and enjoy some boiled peanuts or kettle corn daily, from 9am-7pm.
Songer’s Christmas Tree Farm – Middleburg
Anything that you do yourself is more satisfying than something from a box, right? Songer’s Christmas Tree Farm provides the tree and the saw, you provide the labor. Cut your own Christmas tree and put it in the shaker, where the tree “dances,” shaking out all the loose needles. Or skip the saw completely and buy a cedar or Carolina Sapphire tree in a pot, so that you can plant it outside and remember that holiday glow all year. Want a pink or white frosted tree? Songer’s can accommodate!
Unicorn Hill Farm – Gainesville
Unicorn Hill Christmas Tree Farm has been providing Gainesville-area families with holiday trees since 1982. You can wander six acres of trees, select one, and either cut it yourself with the saw that they provide or ask for help from their staff. There’s a stream running through the property, and you might see raccoon, possum, deer, rabbits, or wild turkeys and hawks on your visit.
Whispering Pines Christmas Tree Farm – Milton
Whispering Pines Christmas Tree Farm has been in business since 1980, and offers a great deal on pines, cypresses, cedars, firs, spruces and balsams. The farm is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 10am-5pm, through December 17 and provides a saw and twine.
Neilson’s Christmas Tree Farm – Trenton
Want to check out a petting zoo and procure a Christmas tree on the same day? Want to see an impressive model train? Want a potted tree rather than a cut tree? All of these are options at Neilson’s Christmas Tree Farm. The farm is open 4-6pm on weekdays and 10am-6pm on weekends through Christmas Eve, at 6780 SE 67th Ct, Trenton. Bring cash or a check, since the farm doesn’t take credit cards.
Safety and Care For a Live Tree
Don’t forget to place your live tree in a container that will hold at least a gallon of water, and water your live tree at its base daily. You may also want to mist the branches to keep your tree fresh and healthy longer.
Watch out for heat sources, and never place a live tree near a radiator, heat duct, candle or fireplace. Don’t use vintage light strings. They’re not safe in the same way that new lights are. And always unplug your tree lights before leaving home or going to bed. There are more house fires during the holiday season than at other times of the year, so you definitely want to practice basic safety with your (flammable!) live tree.
Holidays come with a lot of increased risks to your home and property, such as greater incidents of fire or theft and the higher likelihood of a guest being injured. Make sure your homeowners or renters insurance is up to the challenge of the holiday season. Talk to a local agent today.