Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree in Washington Area

If you celebrate Christmas, you probably fall into one of three groups: those who assemble the same artificial Christmas tree year after year -- you know, the one that spends 11 months in the attic; those who pick up a tree at the nearest Home Depot or corner lot; or you're someone who grabs the kids, a handsaw and holiday cheer, and heads out to a farm to cut a tree.

You may disagree on the method, but everyone can agree that it just isn't Christmas without the perfect tree. Maybe it's because the sight of a Christmas tree evokes fuzzy memories from a time when you were more concerned with what Santa left you under the tree than with how you were going to get the thing through the front door. Maybe it's the communal appreciation of it, how everybody in the house gathers around to stare at it, enjoying its mere presence.

Or maybe it's the smell. Okay, yes, it's definitely the smell. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you can't help but appreciate the way a Christmas tree tickles your nostrils with equal measures of spicy, cool and sweet. Maybe it's how the smell immediately tricks the brain into conjuring the other sensory treasures of the season: the feel of a wearing a fuzzy wool reindeer sweater while parked in front of a crackling fire with a mug of cinnamon-spiced apple cider in hand and a succulent ham on the table just before Christmas dinner.

But slow down for a moment. You can't get there until you've gotten the tree, and you can't get the tree until you choose where you're going to get it from. There are plenty of options each year for where to cut your own tree, and we've got a few suggestions.

Maryland

Clemsonville Christmas Tree Farm has one Christmas tree you won't be able to find anywhere else: a giant, all-natural 60-footer made of . . . limestone. So it's not exactly a tree, per se, but it sure looks like one, especially when it's decorated with evergreens and topped with a star. For traditionalists who prefer a real tree, Clemsonville has a huge selection of white pines, Norway spruces and Douglas firs. East of Libertytown in Frederick County. Open weekends 9 to 5 and weekdays 10 to 5 through Dec. 24. 410-848-6083. clemsonville.com.

Triadelphia Lake View Farm provides one more reason to avoid the madness of the shopping mall this holiday season: Santa Claus. Why fight for a parking space at Tysons Corner when you can have the kids sit for photos with Santa surrounded by nature instead of stores? The farm also offers a wide selection of cut-your-own trees, including Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Canaan fir, white pine, blue and white spruce. Glenelg in Howard County. Open Monday-Thursday from noon to 5 and Friday-Sunday from 9 to 5. 410-489-4460. tlvtreefarm.com.

Virginia

Middleburg Christmas Tree Farm has more than 3,000 trees available for cutting this year, including more than 1,600 Douglas fir, nearly 500 Colorado blue spruce, 900 Norway spruce and a special selection of trees more than 16 feet tall. Free bows and greenery for trees are also provided, along with a picnic area for families, cutting saws to use and tree carts to and from the fields. Near Middleburg in Loudoun County. Open weekends 9 to 5 through Dec. 21. 540-554-8625. middleburgxmastrees.com.

Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm maintains a blog with daily updates on weather and surface conditions along the farm's 30 acres, so before heading over to choose from the selection of Douglas fir, Colorado blue spruce and Norway spruce, you can find out what type of footwear and how many layers to wear. The farm provides cutting materials, shaking and baling for trees, and will drill holes to fit the tree directly in most stands. Near Bluemont in Loudoun County. Open Monday-Friday from noon to dark and weekends from 9 to dark through Dec. 23. 540-554-8323. snickersgaptrees.com.