by Caroline from Boone asks Santa about Christmas tree stores, learns about the Blue Ridge Mountains, and hears about North Carolina’s Fraser fir farming heritage
Dear Santa, my name is Caroline and I am nine years old. I live in Boone, North Carolina, where my pawpaw says our whole county probably grows more Christmas trees than any place its size has any right to.
Dear Caroline, your pawpaw is not exaggerating, and I have relied on trees from your region for a very long time now.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, is there a Christmas tree store nearby? My aunt from the city wants to buy one already cut, but my pawpaw insists we should always cut our own instead.
Both options have their charm, Caroline, though I confess a soft spot for your pawpaw’s tradition of cutting your own. There is something special about choosing a tree yourself, right from the field it grew in.
My second question is about our mountains. My teacher says the Blue Ridge Mountains are perfect for growing a certain kind of tree. Is that true?
It is, Caroline. The cool, high-elevation climate of the Blue Ridge Mountains creates ideal growing conditions for Fraser fir trees, prized for their sturdy branches and lovely scent. Flying over those neat, terraced tree farms each December is one of my favorite sights in the entire Appalachian region.
My third question is about Fraser firs specifically. My teacher says North Carolina grows more of them than almost anywhere else in the country. Why are they so popular?
Fraser firs are especially popular for their strong branches, which hold ornaments well, their pleasant fragrance, and their needles staying fresh and firmly attached longer than many other varieties. North Carolina’s mountain farmers have spent generations perfecting that careful craft, and I always notice the difference in a well-grown Fraser fir.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Caroline Hicks
Boone, North Carolina
P.S. Do you have a favorite kind of tree yourself?
Fraser fir, Caroline, without much hesitation at all.
