LAKEVILLE— For those who visit Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm, taking a tree out of a box just doesn’t cut it.   

They crave the smell of fresh pine and the experience of picking out their very own Christmas tree.  

Having an artificial tree “isn’t the same as coming out, picking your own, taking it home and decorating it together,” said Amanda Pratt. Pratt and her husband Antonio Mendes brought their four kids to Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Lakeville for the fourth year in a row to pick out their tree.   

For Pratt’s stepdaughter Caelyn Mendes, the best part of getting a Christmas tree is “being with your family’’ and having the chance “to choose the one you want.”  

And there are plenty to choose from at the farm. Hundreds of trees of different varieties span the 12 acres of property. 

Families can opt for a pre-cut tree or to cut down their own, a novelty that many Christmas tree farms no longer offer, says Nick Ekstrom, one of the farm’s employees.   

The pre-cut trees are Balsam firs that are specially ordered from an operation in Nova Scotia, according to farm owner Tom Simmons.   

But the farm sells much more than the holiday trees, says Simmons, whose parents opened Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm in 1981.  

The farm also “sells a family experience,” notes Simmons, who says his profession is about teaching “people how to enjoy their family through a traditional ritual.”  

“Everyone’s in a good mood, everyone’s happy here. That’s what we sell.” 

The farm has been operating as a family business for four generations.  

Managing a Christmas Tree Farm was Simmons’ father Leavitt Simmons’ dream. Though both of his parents have since passed, Simmons says his parents would be happy he’s kept the operation going. Tom’s brother was also involved in the business in its early years, but he passed away in 1987. 

Running a Christmas tree farm is no easy task. Trees take 12 to 14 years to harvest, and the short season, unpredictable weather and labor shortages can make it a challenging business, according to Simmons.  

Several personal tragedies, including the passing of his wife and niece, both of whom helped run the business, have made the last few years particularly difficult for Simmons.   

What keeps him going is seeing the enjoyment that people get out of this once-a-year experience.  

The glowing expression on kids’ faces as they watch a tree they picked get loaded into the back of their car or decorate their own ornaments in the farm’s greenhouse is priceless, he said.   

This year, Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree farm donated a tree for an event at Apponequet Regional High School.  

Over the years, Simmons has watched as people who came as kids now bring their own children to the farm, he noted.   

For the third year in a row, Kelly and Matt Conaty came to pick out a Christmas tree with their young children. 

According to their three-year-old son James, the best part of the experience was “taking down the tree”  and bringing it home.

That tree will soon be adorned with James’ favorite star ornament.  

“Wanting to do something outside” with his kids was a highlight of the day for Matt Conaty.   

The tree that the newly engaged couple Delaney Brennan and Matt Ronan hoisted into their truck bed will no doubt be a fixture of a Christmas to remember— with 2024 being the first one they celebrate together.   

“We just bought a house this past June, so I think it’s exciting for us to get started on making our traditions together,’’ Brennan said. “That’s what makes this Christmas special.’’