("O Christmas Tree") - [Narrator] The Christmas tree.

In a child's holiday lexicon, it ranks right up there with Santa and stuffed stockings.

Or at least it does to my daughter, who has watched us choose and decorate the tree with growing impatience over the past five years.

(engine rumbling) Now Charlie is finally big enough to participate properly and we come to Greathouse Tree Farm so that she can pick out her very first pine.

- I wanna it in my room.

- [Mother] (laughs) You want it in your room, huh?

- Yeah.

- [Mother] But we gotta choose our Christmas tree first.

- Okay, let's go.

♪ Christmas time is here ♪ ♪ Happiness and cheer ♪ ♪ Fun for all ♪ - [Narrator] It may take a while for mother and daughter to come to some consensus, but with over 150,000 trees to choose from, we're bound to find one in the end.

Ralph and Shirley Reed planted most of those themselves since they took over the farm after Shirley's father died.

And if anyone thinks that this is just a seasonal business, they're quick to put you straight.

- [Ralph] Well, we work all year in our trees, as far as that goes, from the time we plant 'em to till the time we harvest them.

And, well, it's kind of like growing corn, I guess.

- [Narrator] Except that corn doesn't have to be pruned.

Every single tree on the Reed's plantation needs an annual trim.

It would be mind-bending work if it wasn't for the pleasure that Ralph and Shirley get out of the holiday season itself.

(engine rumbling) - Well, that's our best time of year.

We have lots of families, lots and lots of families that comes out and they spend three or four hours out here on the farm, picking out the perfect tree.

And a lot of times they'll get the children to help 'em cut the tree and they spend a lot of time out here.

And then my wife makes wreaths and garland and they'll go in and look at the wreaths and garland after they finally pick out their tree.

And we got hot cider and cold cider and coffee and cookies and candy for the children.

And it's just kind of a big party on the weekend here, and by the way, we do take 'em all out with the tractor-- - Hay ride.

- And wagon on the hayride and the kids love that.

And it's just kind of a big party here on the weekend.

- You keep looking for your tree.

- [Narrator] The festive feeling of the farm has not been lost on Charlie, who is now eager to grab the first tree she sees.

This is going to require delicate parental diplomacy.

- We got a big room.

Think about it.

Don't you want it to go up to the ceiling?

- No.

- No?

All right.

(laughs) Gosh, they're both nice trees, aren't they?

- I think we should take this one because I think we should get it.

- You think we should?

- Yeah, because that one's skinny at the back but this one's not.

- But you, oh, it's hard to choose, isn't it?

Here we go.

So you like this one?

- Mm hm.

- All right, should we go and talk to Mr. Reed about it?

- Yeah.

- Okay, come on.

Mr. Reed, I think Charlie's found her tree.

- [Ralph] You find your tree?

Which one was it?

- Oh, that one.

- Will you go and show him?

- Mm hm.

- [Narrator] At Greathouse Tree Farm, finding the perfect pine isn't quite the end of the process.

Ralph has a series of ingenious machines that shake off all the loose pine needles, drill a hole in the trunk that will make the tree stand perfectly straight, and finally, one that will bale your treasured tannenbaum into a neatly portable package while you wait in the warmth of Shirley's small store.

Hot apple cider and candy canes combine to make this a red letter day for my daughter.

- [Shirley] Charlie, you want some cookies?

- [Charlie] Yes, please.

- [Shirley] How about a candy cane?

- Yes, please.

Thank you.

- [Shirley] Did you have fun cutting your tree?

Good.

You're all ready for Santa.

- [Narrator] Children will find magic moments in almost every holiday, but I bet when it comes to telling her kids about them, Charlie will begin with the Christmas when she chose her first tree.

♪ Christmas time ♪ - That's a great sized one, I'm getting it.

- You want a nice, fat shape like that.

- [Charlie] This one.

♪ Christmas time is here ♪ (light country music) - [Announcer] For more "Across Indiana" stories, go to wfyi.org/acrossindiana.

(light country music fading)