Okatie, South Carolina The food from Thanksgiving has settled, and families across the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry are beginning to implement some of their Christmas traditions.
One of these entails finding a tree.
WTOC spoke with some of those families looking for the perfect tree on Friday at A & A Christmas Trees in Okatie.
After the Thanksgiving holiday, many families have a custom of selecting a Christmas tree to display in their house throughout December.
Some choose to pick one up from the grocery store or from the attic, while others make it an annual practice to go and cut down their own.
Audrey and her family have made it a ritual to visit A & A Christmas Trees over the years, but Audrey has never cut down her own tree.
Until Friday, when she finally joined her boys.
“It was much harder than I expected,” Audrey stated.
A & A Christmas Trees has been doing business in the Lowcountry for nearly 50 years.
Giving families the option of cutting their own trees or selecting pre-cut ones.
“It’s a wonderful thing because we will have second and third generation families coming out and cutting down their trees,” said Anne Doe, A & A’s co-owner.
Every year on Black Friday, the farm opens, kicking off the Christmas holiday season for many families.
“It’s kind of a tradition for everybody; you get that Christmas tree scent in your house,” Christmas tree shopper Leo Naser explained. “It’s a good feeling.”
And Black Friday was no exception, with hundreds of visitors visiting the farm throughout the day.
Doe hopes that the turnout on Black Friday serves as a favorable indication for the rest of the season.
“We are just hoping for a flawless season,” Doe told the crowd. “Everyone to get the perfect tree and have a great experience and come out and see us again this year.”
Doe said they will keep A & A open this season as long as Fraser Fir trees are still available for purchase.
