Emerald Forest Christmas Tree Lot

Came here after a very disappointing visit to our formerly favorite tree lot. Was not sure what to expect and was I happily surprised! All their trees were fresh, beautifully shaped and not super expensive! In and out in about 15 minutes with 2 trees and I will be back next year!

They have a nice selection of Douglas firs, Noble firs, and Grand firs (the best-​smelling variety, if you ask me).
Smaller trees range from $ 15 to $ 30… with taller ones going at $ 8 – 12 per foot (depending on variety). I think standalone lots like this tend to be a little more expensive than at grocery store parking lots, but here you’re more likely to find knowledgeable staff and be able to get a fresh cut. Kelly at Emerald Forest gave our tree a fresh cut, making sure it would take in water and stand straight.
The first reviewer (from 2008) notes cut-​it-​yourself farms as an alternative… I think that would be way more fun, but I don’t know of any in the South Bay.
The parking situation is a little confusing this year, as signs are posted saying Finch Avenue is closed. You still need to go on Finch (just north of Stevens Creek) to turn into the parking lot. (Finch is only closed further north.)
For other lots like this one, check the intersection of Lawrence Expressway and Benton Street (Santa Clara). There’s apparently a «discount section» with trees $ 21.99 or less… but I haven’t seen if those are mostly «Charlie Brown» trees or not…
If you plan to keep your tree looking fresh through the holiday season, you should…
1. get a real tree stand with good water capacity elsewhere (as cheap as $ 13 from Home Depot… be sure to get an appropriate size!)
2. ask the lot to give your tree a fresh cut
3. remove any temporary stand (2x4s nailed through a plastic bowl) once you get home; those aren’t water-​tight anyway
4. give the tree plenty of warm water, making certain the stump doesn’t seal itself over with sap

Nothing defines the quintessential Holiday season like Black Friday shopping sprees (please don’t trample me!) And Xmas tree lots.
Ah, yes, wandering around these lots heavy with the scent of fresh pine needles do bring back fond memories of Holidays past.
This year, there is a new Xmas tree lot in Cupertino, on the corner of Finch Ave. and Stevens Creek Blvd. According to Kevin the proprietor, in the past few years there was a dispute with the land owner so this is the first year he’s been allowed to sell trees here in a long time.
He’s made up for lost time, however, with a plentiful offering. There are tall Noble firs and rotund Douglas firs, something for everyone! The trees look fresh and shapely, with few gaps and holes that one has to worry about facing the wall. There are even photo ops for the kiddies with some wooden cut-​outs of holiday scenes.
The only negative, but an important one for me, is the price: $ 10 per foot. So that’s $ 60 (plus tax) for a decent six-​footer, which would look nice in any living room. And if you have a cathedral ceiling? Ouch! I’ve been able to get better pricing from some of the Xmas tree farms, of course there you have to cut it yourself but for some families that’s part of the experience.
So there you have it: a nice offering of very shapely trees (best not to wait until last minute, though) but you’ll pay for the convenience.