The sights and sounds and aroma of Christmas have come together once again at Pinecrest Tree Farm in Blue Springs.

Signs in the yard and along the sidewalk leading to the workshop proclaim the season, while inside, the aromatic bouquet of freshly cut evergreens intermingled with the scent of fresh apple cider

can mean only one thing - the Christmas

season has arrived.

Beautiful wreaths and crosses made of white pine, scotch and fir limbs and decorated with ribbons and ornaments of every shape and color, are displayed around the room.

Christmas trees are scattered throughout, each with its own theme.

A model train makes its way around the interior walls, and the company mascot, Tiger

the cat, delights in the visitors taking time

to stop and visit.

Families gather around, remembering the first time they came to Pinecrest. Workers busy themselves with made-to-order wreaths.

Outside, children are delighted by the horse drawn wagon that makes its way between the field and the shop. The sound of chain saws in the distance, intermingles with the appeals.

“Can we get this one, Dad? Will this one be too big?” asks Sara Mayo of Humboldt, as she and her family wonder through the trees.

This is the first time at the farm for parents Douglas and Carla, and their four children, Joseph, Joshua, Shelby and Sara.

And it’s the first time Shelby and Sara got to “steer” the horses pulling a wagon.

“This is neat,” said Shelby, as wagonmaster, Jeff Rhoden of Beatrice gave her instructions on how

to keep the horse from straying off the path.

Rhoden has been providing the wagon rides at Pinecrest for the last 11 years. “It’s something I really enjoy doing. I especially like watching the children.” And for the last 11 years, he’s been

able to watch the children as they grow. 

“Everyone is invited to come for the rides, the coffee and the apple cider,” said Cherry Trump, who, along with her husband Gary, has owned the farm since 1995. “It is a nice family outing for everyone,” she said.

“Moms, dads. the kids, the grandparents...”

Many families, like that of Jim and Ann Fraser of Hebron have been coming to Pinecrest for several years. “It’s become a family tradition,” he said. “The kids come home for Thanksgiving, and we all go out the next day and find our tree. Then we take it home and decorate it. The one’s that come back for Christmas might be lucky enough to find a present under it.”

“As long as we’re home in time for the Husker game,” the family agreed.

The process is simple. Trees are pretagged with Christmas tree tags, customer can remove the bottom portion of the tree, return it to the workshop and enjoy a cup of hot apple cider or coffee while they wait for it to be cut. After cutting it is taken back to the shaking shed where all the excess needles are removed, and the tree is packaged for transport.

The tradition of the Christmas tree got its roots in ancient times, when Egyptians used green palm leaves to celebrate of the end of winter - the victory of life over death.

In the Christian faith, legend has it that St. Boniface, the man who converted the German people to Christianity nearly 1,000 years ago, came upon a group of non-believers worshipping an oak tree. He cut the tree down and a young fir tree sprung up in its place. He took this to be a symbol of the Christian faith.

It wasn’t until the 17th century that the Christmas tree was moved inside and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, finding the perfect Christmas tree is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Each year 25-30 million American’s choose a real tree over artificial trees.

The horse drawn wagon rides at Pinecrest continue through Sunday from 11 a.m. to dark. The Christmas tree shop is open through Dec. 21.

Trees at Pinecrest sell for $5.50 a foot. More information is available online at pinecresttreefarm.com, or by calling (402) 645-3010