I'm one of the crazy people who buys a Christmas tree the day I get home from traveling for Thanksgiving. Last night, as I was dragging my new tree down Haight Street, some dude mumbled to his friend that it was "too early for Christmas trees." Buddy, you are seriously mistaken. Have you not seen cars around the country with freshly cut Douglas Firs strapped to their roofs, symbols that we only have a month to squeeze the crap outta this seasonal cheese before January kills all the fun?
If you too are aching to get your tree up and decorated, San Francisco offers everything from the family run stands to chain store convenience. Some of these places even deliver, depending on where you live. If I'm missing one of your favorites, let me know and I'll add it to the list.
Where to get a Christmas Tree in San Francisco
SOMA
Whole Foods 399 4th St. (Charlie Brown trees and people-sized trees. Not cheap, but you're paying for convenience).
Rincon Flowers 101 Spear St. (Various sizes, and they deliver. I was quoted $20 delivery fee for the Haight)
Delancey Street Foundation Pier 32 (Great organization helping rehabilitate people who've hit bottom. That and they have nice mistletoe and a variety of trees and sizes).
Cole Hardware70 4th St.
Castro
Delancey Street Foundation Castro & 25th St.
Whole Foods 2001 Market St. (getting their trees this weekend)
Portero/Mission/Bernal
Delancey Street Foundation Bryant & 15th St.
Whole Foods 450 Rhode Island St.
Cole Hardware 3312 Mission St.
Noe Valley
Whole Foods 3950 24th St.
Marina
Marina Middle School Christmas Trees 3500 Fillmore St. (Help little kids while you help yourself to a tree)
Sloat Garden Center 3237 Pierce St. (Get your tree from a place that knows all about gardening. Sloat's trees range from about 3ft. to about 9 ft., depending on location and availability).
The Guardsmen Holiday Tree Lot Fort Mason Festival Pavilion (This 60-year-old pop-up benefits at-risk youth programs, and they deliver)
Delancey Street Foundation Van Ness & Filbert
Russian Hill
Cole Hardware 2254 Polk St.
Bayview
Christmas Tree Jamboree 574 Bayshore Blvd. (A family business! 50 years of Christmas trees here)
Flowercraft Garden Center 500 Bayshore Blvd. (Trees start at $19.99)
Sunset
Clancy's Christmas Tree Farm 1620 7th Ave. (Family run! And it looks pretty awesome from the photos)
Mountain Mamas Christmas Trees 4232 Moraga Blvd. (A portion of the proceeds go to the SPCA)
Sloat Garden Center 2700 Sloat Blvd.
Emerald Forest Christmas Trees corner of 19th Ave. & Sloat (They offer delivery service)
Cole Valley/Upper Haight
Cole Hardware 956 Cole St.
Whole Foods 690 Stanyan St.
Get Outta Town
Of course, if you want to turn your tree gathering into a road tripping adventure, there are farms in Half Moon Bay (where it takes a village to get Christmas going) and Pescadero that look pretty awesome.
Image by Kevinsong