What does it take to find the perfect Christmas tree?
In Wisconsin, people have spent this holiday season heading outdoors to answer that question.
One Kewaunee County tree farm is reminding people that finding the right tree starts with the right experience.
It takes a certain kind of person to plant 5,000 future Christmas trees by hand each April.
"Well, I was born and raised on a Christmas tree farm," explains Tammy Aissen, co-owner of Aissen Tree Farm, in Luxemburg.
"Yep, it's a labor of love," adds co-owner, and husband, Jeff Aissen. "I tell everyone this is her dream, I'm just fortunate enough to be a part of it."
For the Aissen family, including their two children, it's a family affair.
"My daughter is very involved in the business. She makes kissing balls," says Jeff, as a large, hanging display of the hand-made 'kissing balls' hangs behind him. "My son [is] pretty much the person that takes care of the fields in the summertime."
"It does encourage a lot of families to come out," adds Tammy. "They want the experience together."
If you're early enough in the season you can cut your own tree. That small window, starting the day after Thanksgiving, has already closed this year.
"If we cut too many, then we end up having no trees for the future," explains Jeff.
But the options are still plentiful at Aissen's, with pre-cut trees from the in-laws' farm that come with a surprise.
For some people, if you love something enough, you give it a name. At Aissens, where so many people fall in love with their Christmas trees, finding one with the right name is half the fun.
"All the trees have their own name," smiles one tree hunter, holding a tag attached to the tree that bears the tree's type, along with a name. "This is David--pretty neat."
"Sometimes they lost a member of their family in the last year," explains Jeff, "and they want the tree to have that name on it."
But trees aren't the only way of bringing the outdoors into your home at this farm.
"We have live greens. We have live wreaths, garland you can put on your mantle in your house," explains Tammy, after spending the past hour or so hand-making wreaths in the back, "and get a little of that smell in their home."
Inside the gift shop, where it's warm, Tammy and her family have created the picture perfect Christmas experience--one you can hang your new ornament on.
Aissens Tree Farm has more than 6,000 ornaments to choose from.
"Your first Christmas together, your first home together, anniversary, too," lists Tammy ,"and, it's something you can put on your tree, and you'll remember it forever."
Jeff Aissen says they'll start planning for their next Christmas season at the farm in February.
