Tacoma Boys Produce
6^th and Pearl, Tacoma WA
253-756-0902

First off, screw you people that are trying to make us call them “Holiday Trees”—I refused to say “Freedom Fries” and I refuse to say “holiday” tree.

That said, HEY, it’s time to go buy your tree!

Last weekend, while everyone was beating the streets, in the Traditional-Day-After-Thanksgiving-Frenzy, I went shopping for mine. Last year my friend Alice had the most incredibly colorful and brilliant tree I’d ever seen. The branches were heavy and dense, and the entire thing was HOT PINK. Not soft “baby-pink”, but actual NEON pink. It was the brightest, happiest thing ever.

But where did she get it? I stopped by Champion Party Supply. They have amazing pink, silver, red, and lime green tinsel trees. But I already HAVE a tinsel tree. So I drove south to hit up Lowe’s and Home Depot. Nothing. Just green.

Then a moment of clarity—instead of burning up 30 bucks in gas, driving all over the f-ing place, why don’t I CALL Alice and ask her where she got that old pink tannenbaum.

Turns out she went down to Tacoma Boys and bought a “flocked” tree and then spray-painted it pink. “Flocked”? I had to look it up. Flocking is that old ’50s technique of spraying fake snow all over the tree so it looks like a winter storm just ran through your living room. BOO-YA! I’m from the Midwest, and I miss the snow like crazy.

Tacoma Boys is worth the drive. It’s RIGHT off the freeway, and it’s open 24 hours. Not only do they sell flocked trees (see photo), but they also have thousands of beautiful green pines, and super deals on poinsettias ($6.99) and handmade wreaths (starting at $10).

I think I’m going to spray paint my tree baby blue. In this rainy dark city, a bright neon Christmas tree is just what I need. KELLY O