A Tree for Alexey

Alex and Daughter


Each year in mid December the sale of Christmas trees begins to dwindle. By the 20th, or so, the Farm officially closes for the season. But even on Christmas Day, we know there is still one tree left to be cut. It's Alexey's tree.

You see Alexey, and his family, are Russian Orthodox Catholics. This form of Catholicism is sometimes referred to as the Eastern Rite. The Orthodox calendar is a bit different from that of the Western Church. Christmas is celebrated on January 7, not December 25. These ancient differences date to the late 16th century and are rooted in the variance between the Gregorian and Julian calenders.

Alexey's Tree



So each year on Christmas Day, or just after, Alex will call to arrange his solitary visit to Shady Pond. Without the distraction of other shoppers in the fields, Alex and his children search for the perfect tree for their unique and special Christmas.

To learn more about the Russian Orthodox Church access
The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C.

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