Get sprucing! Christmas tree farms are open
It's nearly December and that means it's time to drag a 7ft tree into the house and cover it with sparkly plastic! Here's where to go to make it happen.

It’s that time of year to dig out the decorations. And not a moment too soon because lord knows, we all need some cheering up. So make a space in the corner of your living room, unearth the tinsel in the loft and make a three-hour window in your diary to untangle your fairy lights. Christmas trees are a-coming!
BUCKS
Christmas Tree Farm, Chesham
This place, would you believe it, sells Christmas trees. (I know, I know – it’s nominative determinism of unprecedented proportions.) The farm is now open for business every day (9am-5pm) and there are plans to open in the evenings in December. You can choose your tree (traditional and non-drop) before it’s netted and then the helpful staff will take it to your car.
Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees, Newport Pagnell
Just off the M1 (Junction 14-15) is Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees, which is opening its gates this weekend (28 & 29 November) and every other weekend thereafter until 19 & 20 December, between 10am and 4pm. Walk the fields to choose your tree – Nordmann Fir and Norway Spruce – and then stop by in the log cabin to warm up around the log burning stove with a mulled wine in hand.
Peterley Manor Farm, Great Missenden
Christmas tree sales start this weekend (28 & 29 November) at Peterley and this year, every tree sale will see 50p sent to two charities: One Can Trust (that gives food packages to families in crisis in South Bucks) and The Chiltern Society. Opening times are Tuesday to Saturdays (8.30am-5pm) and Sunday (9am-3pm). While you’re there, pick up a handmade wreath and a warming brew from the Wild Strawberry Cafe.
Lillingstone Pick Your Own, Lillingstone Dayrell
The Christmas Tree paddock is now open for you to wander through and choose your tree but booking is essential here, so pick up your tickets first. There is a Christmas barn full of decorations, gifts and local crafts to enjoy, festive treats at the Christmas Cabin, Father Christmas’s sleigh for trips around the farm and animals to peer at too, should the weather lend itself to outdoor activities. Timed slot tickets are available from 4 December.
Pines and Needles, Wendover Woods
Lols, who doesn’t love a fir tree pun? No? Well, I’m amused. Anyway, if you want to pick your tree in a bonafide woodland setting, this is your stop. Selling trees from 3ft up to a whopping 12ft (for those of us with atriums, I assume), you’ll find the store open from 28 November until 24 December – weekdays, 10am-5pm and weekends, 8am to 5pm.
OXON
The Tree Barn, Watlington
Just outside Watlington, The Tree Barn at Christmas Common (again, no confusion here as to the purpose of this venture) is one of the big Christmas Tree players, delivering robust spruces to Downing Street no less. If you fancy tangling with Christmas Tree elite, you can either click & collect, have your tree delivered or roam the store in person. It’s open every day, 9am-5.30pm and until 7.30pm on Thursdays and Fridays, if you fancy swerving the masses.
Farmer Gow’s, Faringdon
There are several types of traditional and non-drop trees on offer at Farmer Gow’s that you can order online and collect or have delivered. Alternatively, make an event of it and turn up to pick your tree and go mad in the Christmas shop buying a veritable smorgasbord of meats, decorations, gifts and, er… firewood. It’s open every day from 10am-5pm and late-night opening until 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays until 11 December.
Appleton Christmas Barn, Appleton
To the southwest of Oxford sits Appleton and its rather sweet Christmas Barn that not only hosts fir trees (available from 27 November) and spruce varieties (from 4 December), but also decorations, fresh mistletoe and a couple of real-life reindeer. You can of course roam the fields and pick a tree of your choice, should you prefer. It’s open daily from 10am – 6pm (Thursday & Friday until 8.00pm) until 24 December.
Hadsham Farm, Banbury
This family-run farm in North Oxon does a roaring trade in traditional and Nordmann trees every winter, which owner Wykeham hand-prunes to get that perfect Christmas tree shape (talk about a perfectionist!). This year they’ve allocated two designated tree choosing and collection weekends: 5-6 Dec (10am-4pm) and 13-14 Dec (10am-4pm).
Bunkers Hill Plant Nursery, Kidlington
This excellent garden centre north of Oxford is styling itself as a winter wonderland this year, with lights and displays to make picking out your tree a total joy. There are both cut and potted trees available in both Norway spruce and Nordmann fir varieties, and you can choose whether you want local delivery or to collect your prize specimen that day. There’s even a Bunkers Hill Reindeer Hunt for littlies, with a prize and certificate if you can spot all of Santa’s helpers around the nursery.