Furthermore, how many Christmas tree vendors will actually come and pick up the spent Christmas trees from the people who bought them?

In the village of Findley Lake, Christmas trees have a “circle of life,” so to speak. Trees purchased from Findley Lake Landscape and Supply cannot only be returned at the end of the season, but owners Scott Porter and Brody Briggs will pick up the trees when families are finished with them.

“If they put them out by the road, we came and pick them up to burn them,” Porter said.

This year trees will be sold at the Landscape Supply as well as on Main Street during the celebration of Christmas Through the Village on. Trees were on display on Dec. 4 and 5 from noon until 4 p.m. beside Twin Docks Market and at Alexanders on the Lake Restaurant.

Christmas trees were on sale in an old fashioned display during Christmas Through the Village.

But it was not enough for Porter and Briggs just to sell the trees. Four years ago, they came up with the idea of gathering the old trees for a community Winterfest and tree burning event.

“We need to do events like this — make it happen and get people out,” Porter said. “The best thing about it is bringing people to the town. It’s little things like this that help out the community.”

Porter said the prospects for this year are promising.

“I think there will be more people out this year,” Porter said. “We’ve seen more traffic already and more people calling about trees.”

From the beginning, Findley Lake Landscape and Supply has partnered with Alexanders on the Lake Restaurant.

“The employees and owners help us in any way they can,” Porter said. “It really does promote the community spirit. It’s to help the community and to help our little town grow.”

The Winterfest and tree burning are scheduled for Jan. 15. While many of the trees that go up in flames are from Findley Lake Landscape, anyone is invited to bring their tree to the burning.

“There’s always a good turnout. Everybody’s outside, they’re eating and drinking and having a good time,” Porter said of the annual tree burning.

Porter noted that people come from surrounding areas to purchase trees, particularly at Christmas Through the Village. They also out for the Winterfest and the tree burning.

“More people are coming from Clymer, Corry, Harborcreek, North East and Sherman,” he said.

It hasn’t always been easy to get the fire going, Porter said.

“Community members and the Findley Lake Fire Department were real happy with how we did it the first year,” Porter said. “But we have a couple of new ideas for making that fire roar.”

While 25 to 30 million Americans may decide to purchase real Christmas trees this year, consumers have been warned that “trees aren’t immune from the national supply chain problems affecting many retail goods.”