This is the third year in a row that the Mahoney’s of Wonder Lake have come out to Cal & Shan’s Christmas Tree Farm, 14216 Thayer Road, Woodstock, for their Cut-Your-Own Christmas tree. As with others who come to Cal & Shan’s for their Christmas tree, the Mahoneys said the trees are great and the experience is priceless.

“It’s a time we all look forward to,” Chris Mahoney said of the family experience coming out to cut their own tree for Christmas. “We love it. It’s a good memory.”

 

 

 

Picking just the right tree takes patience and close inspections. “I never get the first choice,” she said laughing. Here, daughters Carissa Mahoney and Fallon Miller inspect a possible candidate for the family tree.

 

 

After choosing their tree, the Mahoney’s take some time to capture the moment in pictures.

 

 

 

 

After cutting their tree, the Mahoneys could have put it in the lane for the John Deere Gator to retrieve. However, dad (Mike Mahoney) and the rest of the family decided to pitch in and carry the tree back to the barn. There, the tree trunk went into the shaker to knock off any loose pine needles. Here Darren Smith, co-owner of Cal & Shan’s, steadies the Mahoney’s tree as it takes a turn in the shaker.

Then, Darren Smith and Todd Manke (the latter, a co-owner of Cal & Shan’s, with his back to the camera) pull the tree through the netter to bundle it for the ride home.

 

 

 

Finally, Todd Manke and Darren Smith haul the tree up to the top of the Mahoney’s car and tie it off.

 

 

 

 

Daughters Carissa Mahoney and Fallon Miller jousts reindeer style before heading to the office for cookies and a chance to win a trip to the ‘North Pole’ from the Hallmark Channel.  Ambassadors from the Hallmark Channel were passing out the reindeer antlers at Cal & Shan’s that day.

Homemade ornaments were also available in the office. (pictured from left to right: Hallmark Channel Ambassador Rebecca Parvin, Allison Obrien, Maddie Manke, Julie Smith and Hallmark Channel Ambassador Jocelyn Leving.

 

Cal & Shan’s Christmas Tree Farm is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Dec. 22. They have a wide range of trees, including Douglas Fir, Canaan Fir, Black Hill Spruce, White Pine and more. Trees range from 5-feet to 14-feet tall. All trees are only $50.