HEBER CITY, Utah — It may seem early to start thinking about Christmas, but for hundreds of Utah families, the holiday season is already underway.
Christmas tree permits are in high demand at the Heber-Kamas Ranger District, where people have been lining up to secure their chance to head into the mountains and cut down the perfect tree.
For many families, the $20 permit is about much more than bringing home a Christmas tree. It's the start of an annual tradition.
“Just like everyone together and going out and looking for the tree, the whole experience itself is really fun,” Midway resident Marissa Boyer said. “My kids look forward to it every year.”
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Boyer was among the hundreds of people who came to the Heber Ranger Station Tuesday to get a permit. She was worried she might miss out after hearing how quickly they were going.
“I was like, 'Hey, can you hold one aside?' They said no, 'but if you hurry you should be OK,'” Boyer said. “So I came right after work. I own Twisted Sugar in town, so I brought them cookies anyway just because they're awesome and I love the fact that we can even do this.”
That concern isn't unfounded.
Elissa La Comb, public information officer for the Heber-Kamas Ranger District, said demand has been intense.
“It has been hectic and crazy,” La Comb shared. “We had lines as early as 5 a.m. yesterday selling permits. Today, online permits went on sale at 8 a.m., and it sold out within six minutes.”
Thousands of permits will be made available, between 5,000 and 6,000, that provide access to roughly half a million acres where permit holders can search for a tree.
“You can choose a lodgepole pine, white fir, or subalpine fir,” La Comb explained. “Those three are the main ones you can cut.”
Families need to follow some rules. Trees must be 20 feet tall or shorter, stumps must be cut lower than 12 inches from the ground, and trees must be cut and removed by Christmas.
Then there's the unofficial rule: bring some hot chocolate and enjoy the experience.
“The most fun part would be taking friends and just going up, bringing hot cocoa, finding that perfect Christmas tree,” La Comb said. “Walking around, hiking with the people I love, doing what I love.”
The Heber Ranger Station still has permits available, but officials said they could go quickly. If they sell out, La Comb recommends checking availability through the Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District.
For families lucky enough to get one, that small permit is the first step toward a much bigger holiday memory.