Sitting around a tree festooned with holiday ornaments has long been an image that comes to mind during the holiday season. A variety of local businesses offer live and artificial trees for the holidays.

Both Walmart and Target, located at 2300 Sycamore Road and 2555 Sycamore Road respectively, stock holiday trees. The two stores only have artificial trees, some with pre-attached lights, some without.

As found on both stores’ websites, artificial trees at both stores come in all sizes, and in some cases many different colors.

Goodwill, 1037 S. Annie Glidden Road, is another store where trees can be found.

“We have a couple artificial trees that people have donated,” said Goodwill assistant manager Judy Furlong.

There are decorations, stockings and candles for sale as well, she said.

Although there is less selection available at Goodwill, the prices on the trees for sale are lower than that of the other stores. Goodwill is selling its six and a half foot trees for about $25 and its small three foot one for about $13, Furlong said.

“There is all sorts of holiday stuff,” Furlong said. “[There are] indoor and outdoor decorations galore.”

Another place to buy a tree is Michael’s Arts and Crafts , 2431 Sycamore Road.

“I got a tree from the Michael’s back home for just $6,” said Caroline Holmes, freshman pre-physical therapy major . “It’s one of the little ones, so I can put it in my dorm room.”

Holmes said she felt her tree as well as her menorah helped spread cheer to her floor mates.

“Christmas is about spreading joy,” she said. “If you can get one person to smile, it’s worth it.”

Live trees and wreaths are not allowed in the dorms for fire safety reasons, so only the artificial variety is allowed, according to the Housing and Dining website.

A place to buy a live tree is Kuipers Family Farm , 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park. Customers can go to the farm and easily spend the whole day there, making a family tradition, said store manager Cheryl Hackbarth.

Kuipers offers several varieties of trees and sizes, some pre-cut and individually priced.

Hackbarth said that the most sold tree is the Fraser fir. The tree has short, flat needles which are good for holding ornaments.

For those who want the experience of cutting down their own tree, saws from the farm are available to rent free of charge.

“You can saw them down yourself,” Hackbarth said. “We’ll bundle them and help you load them up.”