Pick the Tree then Pick Some Crabs – Part 1 Planning

The holiday season is a time for traditions, friends, and family. Those traditions include baking cookies, decorating the house and hanging lights, caroling, and all-around Yuletide cheer. Many traditions revolve around the tree; decorating and putting presents under the tree are essential pieces of the Christmas holiday.

For those with an artificial tree, the tradition is figuring out how to construct the tree, and for those displaying a real tree, the tradition takes up most of a day. The journey out to the tree farm and walking around looking for a tree is a great way to spend the day with the family. This process usually takes a few hours, and you can build up quite an appetite while doing so. The Crofton and Edgewater areas are home to a dozen different places to select your tree. The areas are also home to The Crab Shack, the perfect place to end a day of tree shopping with a wonderful family meal of crabs, boil pots, and fun.

Planning

Just after Thanksgiving Day, many Christmas tree farms across the state opened up to the masses, serving hot cocoa and cider to everyone as they search for the perfect tree. There are locations all around the Crofton and Edgewater areas that are ready to serve you and yours, but they all offer different services, so there are some things you need to research before heading out to the farm.

Their hours of operation and distance from the house are two things that can be the most overlooked when making your preparations. It is easy to assume that the farms keep normal hours, but that is not always the case, so it is key to clarify when the farm is going to open and close so that you can devote enough time to the process. You want to pick a farm that will not require you to drive for hours with a tree on the roof of your car. The wind and speed can cause extensive damage to your tree.

Some farms allow pets, some do not have on-site restrooms, and if you are going to cut down your own tree, there are places that will require you to bring your own tools. If you are planning to make a day of it, there are farms that offer other activities like sleigh rides and Santa visits that are available on some days and not others. There are a lot of different elements that play into planning the perfect day at the farm.

Some farms allow food, while others do not, but that does not matter when you go to one of the farms in Crofton or Edgewater. The Crab Shack in Crofton and Edgewater will be open for normal hours throughout the season, and always have the wonderful, fresh crabs and Cajun Boil Pots that they are famous for.  For more information, please visit www.thecrabshackmd.com.