Pierce Farms advertises its Christmas tree lot along Highway 31 in Clanton. (Photo by Anthony Richards)

Nothing says Christmas like the scent of fresh cut Christmas trees.

There are two traditional locations along Highway 31 in Clanton for people to choose from.

Holleywood Gardens and Pierce Farms have each been selling trees for the past several years. They also sold pumpkins in the fall and will sell flowers in the spring.

Both tree lots sell Fraser Firs, which has become the preferred choice among customers.

“They [Fraser Firs] just hold the needles and seem to last longer,” said Joe Holley with Holleywood Gardens.

According to Cindy Pierce with Pierce Farms, the latest trend has favored purchasing live trees over artificial trees.

“The biggest deterrent that people have with live trees is the needle falloff and the amount of cleanup that remains after the holidays,” Pierce said.

She advises people looking into buying a live tree for the first time to remember to give it a fresh cut and to place in water within 24 hours.

Though Christmas trees may be the showcased product, they are not the only items for sale at these lots.

Something new this year at Holleywood Gardens are homemade candles that are available throughout the year but offer a variety of seasonal smells, such as Apple Crumble, Christmas Memories and Evergreen Kisses that are sure to get anybody in the holiday mood. Handmade bow wreaths are also available.

Pierce Farms offers the option of making freshly cut wreaths from the tree trimmings.

“It’s never too early to get a tree,” Pierce said. “The next two weekends should be our busiest time.”

Both locations have been selling Christmas trees since thanksgiving and will continue to sell until they run out of stock.