Hello everyone, and welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving – I know I did! We’re swinging into the most wonderful time of the year now. Nobody can say it’s too early for Christmas music anymore, so break out the Mariah Carey – or the Frank Sinatra, whatever you prefer – and maybe make some hot cocoa as you watch the seasons change before your eyes. (And I do mean that literally – how about that snowstorm this week, huh? I guess Mother Nature is getting into the Christmas spirit too!)
Of course, one of the best ways to bring the Christmas spirit into your home is to go out and participate in the time-honored tradition of picking out a Christmas tree. Whether you’re a fan of the Charlie Brown, bare-bones type tree, or something a little grandiose, everybody enjoys being able to go and pick out their very own tree to bring home and decorate. It’s a wonderful time for everyone – young couples, families with young children, and even those whose children are home on a winter break or from out of town – picking out a tree brings joy to all!
If you and your family like to really make a day of picking out your Christmas tree, there are plenty of places on the Main Line that are perfect for that. Even if that was never something your family did before, maybe you should consider starting the tradition – there are so many different places to get Christmas trees on the Main Line – or nearby – that offer festive and fun activities, it would almost be a shame not to.
Take a look at a few of these Main Line Christmas tree spots, and maybe one of them will spark your interest! Buying a Christmas tree is only something you get to do once a year, after all – make a day of it, and make it your own!
Looking for other holiday activities for the season? Check out my last post, where I talk about some of the cool, festive things going on in our area within the next month or so!
Check back in next week, too, when I’ll have other suggestions on great ways to decorate your home for the holidays!
Arasapha Farm
Also known around Glen Mills as the Holiday Hayride, you can cut your own tree and so much more at Arasapha Farm. Choose between their Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Nordman Fir, Noble Fir, and Norway Spruce varieties to find the best tree to light up your home this holiday season.
Other than trees, they also have a Nativity scene with real live animals, pictures with Santa, and campfires and cocoa to keep you warm – after you take one of their gorgeous holiday hayrides, that is! On the 20-minute hayride, you’ll traverse the rolling hills of the farm and take in holiday light displays, decorated trees, and beautifully lit buildings, all to the tune of all your favorite Christmas songs.
After your hayride, be sure to stop in to their corner store and check out what unique holiday products and decorations they have!
Varner Farms
Head out to Varner Farms in Collegeville, PA. This family run farm has been growing Christmas trees – and family traditions – for decades. They offer trees of the Fraser, Blue Spruce, and Douglas Fir varieties, all grown by them personally.
Sadly, this year, due to weather conditions, they weren’t able to grow Christmas trees on the part of the farm that is open to the public, so cutting your own tree isn’t an option. But they plan to bring it back next year, so it’s still safe to start the tradition now if you want to! They still offer rides in a horse or tractor drawn wagon out to the field where you pick out your tree, as well as complimentary hot chocolate or cider.
When you’re done picking out your tree and getting it strapped onto your car, you can head over to their gift shop and farm stand, where you can buy all kinds of holiday goodies like butters, jams, and homemade donuts, as well as decorations for the season and other fun surprises. They also make Christmas wreaths themselves, or offer clippings and decorations if you want to make your own!
When you’re done in the gift shop, be sure to head upstairs to the loft to visit their train display, or outside to say hello to the farm animals!
Merrymead Farms
A little bit past Varner Farms, in Lansdale, PA, you’ll find Merrymead Farms, where you can stroll their forest of fresh-cut Christmas trees to find the perfect one. After you pick it, they will shake, bale, and load your tree for you – no muss, no fuss.
After you’ve got a tree, head over to the Holly House to check out their handmade, uniquely decorated Christmas wreaths, as well as oodles and oodles of other gorgeous seasonal decorations.
After you’ve got your tree and your decorations all taken care of, it’s time for a treat – Merrymead Farms is famous for their homemade, old-fashioned eggnog, and their ice cream. In December, their special flavors are peppermint and – you guessed it – eggnog!
There are special events going on too – if you go on December 14th or 15th, you can meet Santa, and take a picture with him, no charge!
Plus, all December, you can call 610-584-4410 and order a Weaver’s Fresh All Natural Turkey or a Lancaster Co. Stoltzfus Ham, for Christmas dinner or just for a regular night. They also offer pies and gourmet Pellman’s desserts, as well as cookie trays and chocolate-covered pretzel assortments. Yum!
Linvilla Orchards
If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, Linvilla Orchards in Media, PA has tons to do at Christmastime. You can take a hayride to cut down your own Douglass or Canaan Fir tree – Linvilla provides the saw, hauls the tree, and straps it to your car for you, but you get to have all the old-fashioned fun of cutting it down yourself!
After your tree’s all strapped on, there’s plenty more to do – you can take a carriage ride around the farm any day of the week, and on weekends you can go on a caroling hayride, grab some homemade waffles from the Philly Waffle Cabin, enjoy seasonal concerts, and even go visit Santa and the elves in the Garden Center! (On select dates, there will even be an ice sculptor, too!)
The Garden Center truly transforms at Christmastime, becoming a winter wonderland full of wreaths, poinsettias, decorations, and toys for you to peruse. After that, you can head over to the farm market to pick up some local produce, preserves, delicious pies, fresh cut firewood of all varieties, and more!
Shady Brook Farm
If you feel like taking a ride up 295 to near the Jersey border, you can visit the charming Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, PA, where you can take your pick of Grand Fir, Fraser Fir, King Nordmann Fir, and Douglas Fir trees, and their staff will cut it and load it onto your car for you. Inside of their Garden Center, you’ll find gorgeous, elaborate homemade wreaths, along with any other decorations you might need for your new tree.
You can head over to their deli for lunch, and afterward you can all grab some of Dave’s Homemade Ice Cream – it may be cold, but it’s never too cold for ice cream! You can also pick up some fresh produce while you’re there, if you’d like, as well as gourmet cheeses and Rose Bank wines.
Of course, the real star of the show at Shady Brook Farm is the holiday lights show. You can take a 20 minute car ride – or wagon ride – through their expansive light displays, and at the end you can enjoy hot cocoa and s’mores from the farm market by the campfire.
Santa will be there too: Weekend mornings until December 21st, you and the kiddies can go and enjoy Breakfast with Santa with advanced purchase tickets. Other than that, you can see Santa’s Farm Market and Photo hours here.
