Many people start the holidays by pulling out a boxed Christmas tree, untwisting its wire branches and figuring out which end is up. But, for some folks, decorating a freshly cut tanenbaum is one of the most important parts of the season.

Kasey Falvey and her son Prewitt spent the morning of Black Friday browsing the selection of Fraser firs on the front lawn of Brookhaven Market Basket.

“I just like the freshness and smell of it,” she said. “There’s nothing like a live tree.”

They were on the hunt for a 7-foot-tall fir, which — according to Market Basket employee Jim Malone — is what most people want in a Christmas tree.

“Seven and 8 feet tall are the most common sizes people buy,” he said.

Fraser firs are one of America’s favorite species of live Christmas trees, and it’s the only kind Market Basket keeps in stock.

“It’s supposed to be one of the fullest trees out there,” Malone said.

The selection at Market Basket comes from farms in North Carolina, and Falvey said she buys one almost every year.

“They look really realistic,” Prewitt said.

Malone said the number one selling feature of live trees is their sensory realism.

“People love the smell,” he said.

The Market Basket stocks trees from 5 to 15 feet in height, but the taller trees are often spoken for upon delivery.

“Usually, people order the 14- and 15-foot trees in advance,” he said.

Seven feet is the perfect height for Falvey’s living room, and she looks forward to filling the tree out with her favorite holiday embellishments.

“I just go simple with the decorations, because that’s my style,” she said.

This year, she and her family plan to attempt something a little different.

“We’re going to try to flock our tree ourselves,” she said. “We’re going old school.”

Falvey has never flocked a tree before, but she’s excited to see the end result.

“My father-in-law said his mother used to do it when they were young,” she said. “You just wet the tree and cover it with flour. We’re going to give it a shot.”

Malone said the Market Basket still has about 300 trees in stock, and they expect their inventory to dwindle as Christmas inches nearer.

As far as decorations go, he suggests doing whatever makes you happy. Whether you like a basic holiday tableau or something a little more extravagant, he said a Fraser fir can handle whatever you throw at it.

“They look great either way,” Malone said.

Story by Trapper Kinchen