The Search for the Perfect Tree

BOALSBURG, CENTRE COUNTY - Now that Thanksgiving is over, folks are moving on to the next holiday and for some, that includes finding the perfect Christmas Tree.

Everywhere you look, you see one.

"There's probably about 20,000 trees that we have from little guys up to 13 footers," John Tait of Tait Farm said.

Tall and skinny, short and fat, any kind of tree you can imagine.

"It's just a fun place to come and we make it easy for them to get them and families come year after year," Tait said.

And for the Fick family, it's no different.

"We've been coming here since we moved here, which was in 2004. We live in Boalsburg and it's really just a family tradition," Donna Fick said.

The hunt is on.

"I'm excited about getting a tree. Every year, it kind of is too big," Carl Fick said. "One year, it was so big, it fell down like three days before Christmas."

And they aren't alone. Tons of folks lined up at Tait Farm to pick out this year's tree.

"I think they're going at least as well as last year," Tait said. "Friday was fine, yesterday was the football game and it was off and today is pretty busy."

Tait says it's just the beginning.

"The two busiest weekends are the first and second weekends in December."

So what's the secret to keeping a healthy tree throughout the entire holiday? Here are a few tips to follow:

• The first time you water your tree, make sure you use warm water to soften the sap.
• Make sure there is a fresh cut at the end of the tree trunk before you put it into water.
• Avoid setting your tree up next to sources of heat that will dry out the side of the tree.
• Water your tree frequently in order to keep it from drying out.