COVID-19 has made this a holiday season like no other, but it hasn’t stopped the tradition of tree-shopping.
Not even COVID-19 can stop some holiday traditions.
Just before Thanksgiving, Jim Chaffin and his wife donned their masks and thick gloves before dropping by Mistletoe Acres Tree Farm in East Bridgewater — all to get the pick of the pines.
“My wife likes the freshness of it,” Chaffin said.
The farm’s owners, Megan and Matt Krugger, are ready for the holidays to get into full swing, and think they’ll be seeing a lot more shoppers like Jim and his wife over the next few weeks.
“I think despite everything going on we're feeling pretty festive,” said Megan. “People get very excited about cutting their trees,” added Matt.
The couple has grown this business quite a bit, from selling a few hundred trees nine years ago to well over 2,500 a season. They think this year could be their biggest yet.
“People want to celebrate and spend time with family,” Megan said.
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They’ve added social distancing reminders, increased parking and adjusted to get customers on their way with less contact. “They’ll stay in their vehicles and then one of our staff will help load the trees on the car,” she said.
For people who might be concerned about physically being at the farm, the Kruggers this year have added a delivery option.
“People will just call ahead and give us some specifications, the type of tree they’re looking for,” said Megan.
When they do, they'll find a pair of experts who know their Christmas trees well.
“Fraser Fur is a stiffer branch, it lasts longer; Balsams known for its fragrance. The Spruce Tree is the prickly branches, the Canaan Fur has a softer, longer needle,” said Matt.
If you do make it in person, the Kruggers have created a holiday hangout fit for a movie. They’re bringing in a socially distanced Santa, music and a food truck.
It's all pretty close to the dream Megan shared with Matt when they were younger. “I always wanted to have a tree farm with an inn and a horse drawn sleigh,” she said. “I told Matt right away [when he came upon this property], I don’t care what it looks like … Just get it!”
Now they’re living out that dream each holiday season — perhaps this year even more so. “We’re really excited, we’re embracing the holiday season," Megan said. "We can’t wait to see all of our customers.”
