One Last Thing A Few People Wait Until Last Minute To Buy A Tree

Jim and Linda Burke had a good reason for waiting so long to buy a Christmas tree.

They just got married. In Coxsackie, N.Y.

After a brief honeymoon in Albany, the couple flew back to Spokane three days ago and prepared for their Christmas rush.

“We’ve been doing our Christmas shopping, and, of course, the last biggie is the tree,” said Jim Burke from under a Santa Claus hat.

Saturday afternoon, the couple took a few minutes to peruse the handful of trees left at Santa’s Tree Farm at Five Mile Plaza, but kept an eye on an 8-foot grand fir.

Across the lot, Lynn Thornton was selecting a last-minute wonder.

“I do everything at the last minute,” she said.

Actually, Thornton said, several of her relatives are allergic to trees. So she waits until only days before Christmas to bring home a tree and has made decorating it a Christmas Eve tradition.

“It’s a very short holiday,” Thornton said.

Gary Phipps, who runs Charlie Brown’s II on the corner of Hamilton and Cataldo, said Thornton’s family is not the only last-minute decorator.

Several of his customers over the last couple of days also waited to buy a tree so the family could decorate the night before Christmas.

However, others were in search of one last bargain.

“They have discount in their mind,” said Phipps, who has dropped prices $5 a day for the last few days. “Everyone has an angle. The pitch is, ‘It’s only going to be up for three days.”’

For those who are still waiting, both lots will be open today. Santa’s Tree Farm will close for the season about noon. Charlie Brown’s II will be open all day or until they sell out.

Phipps will not be working on Christmas Eve, but left those who will with strict pricing instructions.

“If they come by and wince at $5, give them away,” he said. “There are people who don’t have any money. They should be able to have one, too.”

After careful consideration, the Burkes settled on the same plump tree that first caught their attention.

The price was not as low as if they had waited until today, but the newlyweds were pleased with their first tree.

“You can’t complain about a $12 tree,” Jim Burke said.

The sale was manager Jeremy Donaldson’s 15th of the day.

“That’s pretty good for it being this late,” he said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo