Santa's Little Helper: Click here for your Christmas tree

Nothing says Christmas like the scent of a freshly cut Tannenbaum. But say you're a celebrity and, (unlike Ellen DeGeneres, center) you don't want the hassle of trying to avoid the paparazzi at the local tree lot.

Fear not, Tinseltown readers. That's what the Internet is for!

Yes, you can buy a fresh-cut Christmas tree at the touch of a button. We here at To Live and Buy in L.A. have surveyed some of the options to help expedite the delivery of holiday cheer to your doorstep.

Here's what we found. . .

Frontgate has "Real Fresh-cut Fraser Fir" trees from North Carolina. The prices start at $129 for a 4-to-5-foot tree; $149 for 5-to-6 feet; $179 for 6-to-7 feet, $199 for 7-to-8 feet, $229 and 8-to-9 feet. Shipping is free and if you enter code J811C at checkout, you'll save 20% (offer good through Nov. 30). Lest you be concerned that you are buying a Charlie Brown-type twig, Frontgate assures that its Fraser Firs were "rigorously tested, and they lasted up to three months with no needle drop for the first 60 days." The trees are "shaken, bound, and packaged in a moisture-resistant carton to ensure complete freshness" and included with purchase are a free 8 oz. bottle of tree preservative and a "removal bag."

Coyote Farms Christmas Trees has more options and slightly lower prices. Choose from Noble Firs, Grand Firs or Douglas Firs. Prices range from $81 for a 5-foot Douglas Fir to $211 for an 8-foot Noble Fir. Stands and UPS shipping are included, and there's no sales tax. Want a larger tree to impress the guests at your holiday soiree? Coyote Farms offers 9- to 12-foot trees. You can actually pick out your tree online (pictures of each tree are available). Shipping is extra on these big boys; delivery from Oregon to Southern California takes three days.

Classic Christmas Trees in North Plains, Ore., has Douglas and Noble Firs. Prices range from $45 for a 4-to-5-foot Douglas to $108 for an 8- or 8 1/2-foot Noble. Shipping is available on Dec. 1, 8 or 15, but it's pricey. To get an 8-footer to downtown L.A. will set you back more than $100 for UPS ground, or $244 for second-day air.

For $79.95, L.L. Bean  has a "Balsam Twinkle Tabletop Tree" that's 27 to 29 inches high and is "Made in Maine." Apparently it's a bunch of pine branches artfully stuck into some kind of floral foam core. L.L. cool Bean says it's "Holiday decorating without the hassle –- this fragrant balsam tree is conveniently prelighted with white Christmas lights and decorated with real pine cones, faux holly berries and a red bow." Delivery takes five to seven business days. Shipping is $9.95, but because you're spending more than $50, you should be entitled to a $10 gift card to be used toward a future L.L. Bean purchase.

The cheapest and fastest option may be Santa & Sons, an L.A. Christmas tree lot at the corner of Burbank Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon in Sherman Oaks. Owner Mark Rohlfs offers same-day delivery if you call by 5 p.m weekdays or noon on weekends. Check out the website, then call (818) 501-8637, and tell them what kind of tree you want (they have Noble, Douglas, Nordmann and Grand Firs) and what height. They have everything from 2-footers to giants up to 20 feet tall (some of these "plaza grade" babies can cost $4,000). When Rohlfs' crew delivers your tree, they'll carry it into your house, set it up, make sure it's straight, and even put water in the bowl. If you need a stand, that's an extra $20. The trees come from Rohlf's 80-acre tree farm in Oregon. Sample prices: An 8-foot Douglas Fir is $69.99, and delivery is $35.

-- Julie Makinen

Photo: Ellen DeGeneres at Mark Rohlfs' tree lot. Credit: Mark Rohlfs. 

Comments

[Mark]

I am the owner of Santa & Sons Christmas Trees. Thanks for the mention of our Christmas tree lot and our order by phone service. You even gave me a photo credit ( so rare today! ).
Last year was our busiest ever for orders placed by telephone. Many of of these went to businesses, where office managers seemed especially relieved to have one less chore taking time during the busy holiday season. Others who have found us through our website ( www.santasons.com ) live pretty far away and choose not to drive over to the Valley themselves. Also, some of them have figured out that sending us out to select their tree means using the trained eye of an experienced Christmas tree farmer to do the picking. We really do look through the new inventory for the best tree we can find, and often it becomes a contest of sorts between employees to find the best tree when filling the day's phone orders.
You see, we really like what we do. Santa & Sons is a real Mom & Pop operation, founded by my wife, Patricia and myself back in 1983. We live in Oregon and operate our Christmas tree farm in the mountains near Eugene, Oregon. Our daughter Natalie, who was actually born on Christmas Eve, helps run the retail counter in LA at Christmas. The tree farm, which is located in a picture perfect location on the banks of the McKenzie River, has been independently audited and environmentally certified by the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers. We're proud of the manner in which we treat our land and the green jobs we create in our rural community, and we want people to know about it. Thanks for helping get the word out.
Mark Rohlfs
Owner
Santa & Sons Christmas Trees