As I grew older I realized that life is about making memories with your loved ones in between the monotony of life.  I attempt to make those memories whenever I can.  I do wish I would have realized that at a younger age when my children were younger.

Here is your chance to make a great memory with your wife, husband, children, boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner.  Visit one of three National Forest in Michigan and cut down your own Christmas tree.

You can visit either the Huron-Manistee National Forest, Ottawa National Forest, or the Hiawatha National Forest and for $5 dollars you can cut your own Christmas Tree down.

For us, in southern Michigan, the Huron-Manistee National Forest is located in Cadillac Michigan, which is only a couple of hours' drive away.

The U.S. Forest Service, every year, offers you the opportunity to cut your own wild-grown Christmas tree from one of the three National Forest in Michigan.  You may need to pack a few extra snacks, we are told there are approximately 3 million acres in those three national forests to explore.

According to reporting by MLive, Joshua Veal, the public affairs officer for the Huron-Manistee National Forests stated:

“For many families, going out into the forest to find a tree for the holidays is a treasured tradition that has been carried on for generations…For others, this is an opportunity to create a new tradition and discover the joy of bringing a tree home from a national forest and creating special memories.”

Not only does this offer create a great memory for you and your family but it also helps the National Forest.  According to Recreation.gov, the cutting down of these trees “contributes to overall forest health by helping thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees -- the perfect size for a home Christmas tree”.

Before you jump into your vehicle you will need to purchase a “tree tag”.  You can purchase your tree tag/permit online at recreation.gov/tree-permits or in person at the offices for each of Michigan’s national forests. Also, the U.S. Forest Service encourages everyone to “read up on all the details for the forest where they’ll be cutting their tree”.  The details for the Huron-Manistee National Forest are:

$5 per tree with a maximum of three trees per family, available through Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Purchase an online permit here, or visit a local office for permits and more information (find Huron-Manistee National Forest office locations online here).

This is a great opportunity to go on an adventure and make a lifelong memory with your loved ones.  

LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were born

With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic holiday gifts. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success.

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