Illinois’ more than 500 Christmas tree growers produce 250,000 trees with a value of more than $5 million every year.

The practice of decorating trees for the Christmas season can be traced to the early 1500s in Europe. Since that time, the tradition of decorating a tree has continued and expanded worldwide.

While artificial trees have gained popularity since they were first introduced in Germany in the 1800s, more than 25 million real Christmas trees are sold every year in the United States. Every state in the union produces Christmas trees, with Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington producing the most.  

Many cities throughout the country have an official Christmas tree. In Chicago, this tradition started in 1913 when Mayor Carter Harrison lit the first official Christmas tree in Grant Park.

Still looking for the perfect Christmas tree? Check out the links below for information on where to find trees in your community:

TimeOut Chicago – Where to chop down your own Christmas tree
Illinois Christmas Tree Association, with listings of Christmas tree farms across the state