Some people buy their Christmas tree. Some have artificial Christmas trees. But for the Lakosky family, the annual search through the forest to find their Christmas tree is an adventure that is part of the season’s celebration. Above, Ari Fish diligently watches his mom, Sarah Lakosky, cut down the family’s Christmas tree after a search in the north woods forest. Photo courtesy of John Stember
Few things are as refreshing as the smell of a freshly cut spruce tree, especially if you’ve gone out and cut it down yourself. Last weekend, Sarah Lakosky and her two boys, Ethan (10) and Ari (6), decided to drive up the Gunflint Trail in search of a suitable Christmas tree. Their packing list for the excursion was affordable and simple: snow clothes, boots, a saw, and webbing.
It’s easy this time of year, as Christmas trees line gas stations and grocery stores, to pick out an evergreen on the curb. And with the holidays nearing, setting out into the North Woods can be low on the priority list.
“Getting outside, finding sticks, and romping around in the woods are our favorite parts,” proclaimed the two brothers. As winter solstice approaches and the days grow darker and darker, just 15 minutes outside can turn your day around.
Cutting down a Christmas tree in the Superior National Forest requires a permit from the USDA Forest Service. The cost for the permit, which can be purchased at the Gunflint Ranger Station, is $5 for a tree. Supposedly, more and more Americans are resorting to artificial trees for the holidays according to the American Christmas Tree Association.
Not the Lakosky family, who claims they’ve never skipped a December of tree-hunting in the forest.
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