The holidays are a time for traditions, and Kara and I try to honor as many as we can this time of year.  Every December we  cut down our Christmas tree with only a few exceptions. One year it was pouring rain and another Kara was 7 months pregnant and in no mood to be hiking through the hills is suburban Hartford.

We always go to Dzen Tree Farm in South Windsor, a place Kara and I got our first tree together in 2001.  The big attraction there: reindeer!

John and Jen Dzen and their family care for the animals year round and our kids never tire of seeing them up close.

This year was extra special because it snowed!  We ventured about a half mile into the farm and selected the perfect tree.   As tradition mandates, Kara gave the orders and Julian channeled his inner Paul Bunyan and helped chop it down.  Watch the video here on the WFSB Facebook page:

So where’s the Roadmaster, you might ask?   One tradition we changed this year was the tree hauler.   Our trusty sleigh, the soon to be 22 year old Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon , was being serviced and hasn’t had snow tires put on yet, so I had a loaner, which was effortlessly carried our tree through the storm and snow covered I-84 back to the capital city.  I just wish it had wood siding so I could feed my Clark Griswold alter ego.

Winter Storm Ali made for a picturesque weekend in Connecticut, a state we love so much, and we spent the rest of it decorating the tree complete with treasures family ornaments like the Griswold’s family trickster!

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