(jovial music) (doors slam) - A lot of the local folks have been doing it since they were kids, myself included.

I mean, it's just you go up in the mountains and you cut a Christmas tree.

It's just part of the adventure and honestly that's one characteristic about Wyoming people, they're always up for an adventure.

(theme music) (bells jingling) - [K. La] Quentin, is that a good tree?

- [Quentin] No.

- [K. La] Tell 'em why it's not a good tree.

- There's not much green on it, I like my trees being covered with these.

- Every year one of the kids gets to choose the tree.

Last year Marissa was supposed to choose, but I ended up choosing.

(laughs) So, um, this year Quentin gets to choose the tree and mom has to be quiet and let him pick the one that he wants.

(jazzy holiday music) - What's a perfect Christmas tree?

I'm not gonna say.

When you go to the mountain, you go up there and cut a wild tree.

It's not gonna be that perfect tree that you see at a Christmas tree farm.

Some trees might be a little prettier, but then other ones, for example, a lodgepole pine actually gives off a much stronger aroma of pine in the house.

And that's really cool.

It's just a preference of the individual and what they want.

- That one.

- Too tall?

- Too tall.

I think we found the one.

- [K. La] This is the one you want?

- I think so.

- [K. La] It's not very bushy.

- Yeah.

That one!

- [K. La] This one?

- Yeah.

Dusty!

We found the one!

- Okay!

We'll find three or four different ones before we pick the one we want and end up coming back to that one.

- Bushy.

Tall and green.

Has some... Just - - [K. La] Pine cones on it.

- Yeah, a little bit of pine cones.

- That's the one he likes, right there?

- [K. La] That's the one he likes right there.

I like the other one.

It was tall and skinny and really bushy, though.

- It's the size of our house.

- Do you wanna look at the other one?

- I'm thinking we ought to find a different one.

- What about this one?

Has a lot more pine cones on it and it's more, more fluffy and more green.

I like this one.

- [K. La] That's the very first one you looked at.

- That it?

- Yep.

(holiday music) - [K. La] Mine was tall and skinny this time and had little, itty bitty pine cones on it.

It was just perfect.

This is a monster.

It's way too big.

- Try to push it over, Quentin.

- Timber!

- Perfect.

How is this gonna fit in the sled?

(upbeat holiday music) - Just push this way.

- Oh my gosh.

Why?

Why do we need such a big tree?

- 'Cause, it's Christmas.

- Because it's Christmas?

- Uh huh!

- Um, I think Quentin was a extreme, but - - I think that tree's a little big.

- That's a big tree.

- Other people will attest to this You end up cutting a tree that's oftentimes too tall for your house 'cause you're like, "Well, I'll figure it out when I get home".

What do you think of this sucker?

I think it'll turn out to be a nice tree.

(light holiday swing music) - That one goes there.

- Now that it's home and now that I can see it, it was the perfect tree to pick.

So he picked a good one.

And you know how some places it's not Christmas until it snows?

Here, it's not Christmas until we have our tree up and we're all together as a family.

- It's just kind of going back to the old tradition of what it means for Christmas and that's part of it.

The tradition is family coming together, getting to the mountain, cutting the tree, bringing it home and decorating it.

And it's just, I think that's what for myself as well is just, that's part of like the memories, the good memories of Christmas.

(holiday music continues)