Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but for those who decorate early, it’s Christmas tree time!

There’s nothing like a real Christmas tree at the holidays; picking it out on the lot, strapping it to your car to get it home, and the smell of the branches filling up the room. For the Cannizzaro family, that feeling is their whole business.

At the Cannizzaro Christmas Tree Shoppe, the family helps bring a classic Christmas tradition to every customer who visits the store.

The Cannizzaros bought the business from the previous owners in 2006, hoping it would be a fun opportunity for their family. With three children under 10 years old at the time of the purchase, Ellen and Peter wanted a place where the kids could help out and learn how to run things.

“It’s a lot of work. It’s an intense six weeks, an exhausting six weeks, but it’s worth it,” Ellen Cannizzaro said.

They love witnessing families coming to pick out their trees and kick-start the holiday season, and are happy to see people continuing to buy a real tree every year, as artificial ones become more and more popular.

“It’s really a family experience that you kind of feed off their joy,” Peter Cannizzaro said.

Located right next to Meyer Dairy, customers can make a whole afternoon out of it, picking out the perfect tree and then stopping by Meyer’s to get some ice cream as a reward. The couple has been working with the Meyer family to offer a combined experience since they took over the business.

“I think it’s important to just support local farmers,” Ellen Cannizzaro said. “So we try to do that.”

They buy their trees from all local farms, and, even though Meyer’s is a well-established company, they enjoy getting to partner with them and increase their business during the holidays.

All the farms they buy their trees from grow, but do not sell, so they get the chance to boost farmers in the area, especially since recent years of drought have left farms struggling.

The Cannizzaros, along with their kids — Alisha, Jake, and Josh — run the whole business themselves.

Although the Christmas season is limited to a month or two, planning for the Cannizzaros takes up almost half the year.

“We typically start having conversations in maybe July or August with tree farmers, Meyer’s Dairy, and with our wreath maker, just to get everything in place,” Ellen Cannizzaro said.

Customers at the shop range from young families with children, retired members of the State College community, and even fraternity houses.

“Everybody’s generally in a really good mood because they’re getting their Christmas tree, and then they go in Meyers and they get ice cream,” Ellen Cannizzaro said. “So it’s just been a nice family tradition.”

If you’re in the market for a real tree this Christmas, head over to see the Cannizzaros at 2390 S. Atherton Street for an experience you won’t forget. And don’t forget to grab an ice cream at Meyer Dairy after!