By Cameron Wheatley

I have been a scout in Bellevue Troop 626 for the past three years. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, I get up in the morning and I know the holidays are coming. You can tell the whole city is in a festive attitude with all the Black Friday ads everywhere.

That’s also the day our Christmas tree lot opens and the smell of fir and hot apple cider fills the air.

I have noticed familiar faces appearing, people I have seen last year and a year before that. These are the people who have been coming to our tree lot for years and to them it’s more than just buying a Christmas tree. This is the true feeling of a community event.

For them this is a tradition. I hear them tell me stories of how they used to come here with their mother or father to get the tree for Christmas and now they are coming with their children to get one of their own.

With an older brother in the troop, it feels like we have been doing this for five years and have learned a ton along the way. We have both earned the salesmanship merit badge that really comes in handy when selling directly to your customer. After these few years I can really help you pick out a good tree. Over the years I have noticed that our trees tend to be a little bit taller than advertised, a great value for you and an opportunity for me to customize the height to your needs. To help you with your tree, scouts will trim, bale and help place the tree in or on your vehicles.

I am glad we get our trees from the same Olympic Peninsula tree farm for the last 30 years. They really look after our troop and deliver great trees we are all really proud to sell.

The Troop 626 tree lot is more than our annual fundraiser. It allows to practice our knots and meet new people every year. I invite you to stop by for a Christmas tree, make new friends, and have a wonderful holiday.

Cameron Wheatley is a Life Scout in Troop 626 and in the 8th Grade at Tillicum Middle School. Troop 626’s tree lot is located at Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club, 5464 119th Ave. S.E., Bellevue. Now in its 32th year, the tree sale is the troop’s only fundraiser.