It is with TOTAL DISCLOSURE – and Liza’s blessing – that I offer today’s post about my brother-in-law’s local, seasonal business, Santa’s Trees. Nepotism aside, we would write about him anyway, as he is just the type of story we LOVE to blog about: local, passionate, and excellent at what he does.

One reason I knew that Liza would not exercise her veto power is because my brother-in-law, Jim McLeod, is a total entrepreneur. For those of you who don’t know Liza “the Entrepreneur” Graves personally,  I can vouch for her drive and determination to bring new ideas to the marketplace.  And, she absolutely applauds anyone with her same tenacity.  And, she applauds Jim.

As this post is about garland, wreaths and trees, I am also including some of our favorite ways to decorate with such gorgeous greenery.

Southern Accents

So here goes the story of Santa’s Trees:

Santa’s Trees was started in 1984 by my brother-in-law when he was 17 years old and still in high school.  His Mom and Dad, Shirley and Jim,  even pitched in on weekends to be sure that the money was safe and that the buddies he recruited to help out were actually doing the work!  Year after year, he interrupted his college or work commitments to take off a month and sell Christmas trees.  25 years later, Santa’s Trees now has five large lots and is the largest independent Christmas tree seller in Middle TN.

But the main reason I am devoting this entire post to Santa’s Trees is because Jim is selling the absolute most GORGEOUS garlands and wreaths you’ll find in Nashville.

Don't be afraid to put garland in unexpected places. Southern Living Dec 2009: Genia Gilchrist's home.

Let’s start with the garland. In my opinion, the most beautiful homes at Christmas are decorated with REAL greenery: evergreen garland with magnolia leaf accents, plus holly berries and pine cones to add color and texture. If nothing else, the smell makes it Christmas. If that’s your idea of an attractive holiday combination, then your first stop needs to be Santa’s Trees to get the garland to lay the base. This is the type of garland you would normally order from an expensive floral shop or have shipped in from New York.

Jim, owner of Santa's Trees.

The garland comes in four options:

1) light combination of white pine and Fraser fir for $1/foot

2) white pine and Fraser fir in a heavier weight for $3/foot

3) solid boxwood for $3/foot

4) multi-mix of white pine, Frasier fir, boxwood and arborvitae (simply gorgeous) for $7/foot.

The garland is made in North Carolina and shipped in fresh each week!  A shipment arrived yesterday.

Southern Accents

Now about the wreaths. The wreaths are handmade on-site at the Santa’s Trees lots, and are sized from 16″ to 48″. They come in three types: Fraser Fir, Boxwood, and Premium Mix, which is a combination of greenery.  Special orders  are available.  The wreaths are priced from $20-70, depending on the type of greenery and the size of the wreaths.  They are beautiful. PROMISE.

Santa's Trees: an example of a beautiful, fresh wreath

The actual Christmas trees can range from tabletop up to 12′. Most of the trees sold are Fraser Fir and they smell wonderful.  As the trees are cut and shipped to the lot each week, you are getting the freshest trees in town.  So, when Christmas morning arrives and you’re gathered around the tree to open presents, you won’t feel like you need to call the Fire Marshall to make sure you’re going to be safe through the eggnog portion of the day.  Tree prices are based on height. Tall trees are costly, because of the growing time, but they are worth the money.

Most importantly, Santa’s Tree will deliver and set up you tree!

If you are a romantic, fresh mistletoe is available along with fresh-cut holly and magnolia.  Tree stands are sold on sight and can save your marriage.  Jim has deemed his stand the straight tree stand: it’s guaranteed to stand straight, not fall and last forever. If you don’t buy the tree stand, then be sure to buy some mistletoe.

Country Living

Finally, for everyone who registers on the Santa’s Trees website (www.santastrees.com) by Friday morning (GO SIGN UP!  THAT’S TOMORROW!), Santa’s Trees will be giving away 25 Christmas trees for FREE to celebrate the organization’s 25th birthday.

And not that this matters in the least, but Jim is the proud father of 5 children and every tree he sells goes to a great cause: keeping his little peeps fed!

Santa’s Trees Locations:

Grassland – 2184 Hillsboro Road, Franklin…..5 miles South of Old Hickory Blvd Brentwood -

Hill Center in Brentwood - 289 Franklin Rd, not far from the REI store and just next to the US Bank.

Brentwood / Cool Springs – 567 Franklin Road - at the corner of Franklin Road and Moores Lane.

530 Cool Springs Blvd. - at the corner of Cool Springs Blvd and Mallory Lane – next to Walgreens in Franklin.

Hwy 96 at the Williamson Square Shopping Center – near the Kroger and Hobby Lobby…next to Suntrust.

You can read more about Genia Gilchrist and her holiday decorating ideas in Southern Living Magazine.

Genia Gilchrist's home shows the beauty of live garland in Southern Living Magazine Dec '09

A rare 5th post this week as a holiday weekend treat.  Go buy this Southern Accents issue whether you are traveling or planning to stay home.  You will love it!

You know I’m just a mess over the fact that Southern Accents is ceasing publication. I have heard rumors that this may be temporary.  Pray it be true!  But, their final issue is on newsstands now.  I felt like each article was written just for me as I fully read each page beginning to end. Here are all my many reasons for loving the last issue:

• From the start, the letter from the editor is spot on.  She lists her favorite interior design books that are being published this fall.  This is a great resource to find a gift for a dear friend, or yourself.
• The interview with Birmingham designer Mary Evelyn McKee is a course in itself.  If you want to learn great style, read this interview.
• The color pumpkin is passionately exulted.  I’m a neutral girl with a softness for orange.  Bring it on….
• Who doesn’t love Dahlias?
• I’m now planning a trip to Florence, Alabama.  Florence was always just a sign on 65South on my way to Birmingham.  Now, a stop is assured.
• The supper club photographed for the Entertaining section has me longing for a supper club of my own that can be together for the 20 years that the featured one has been.  The recipes are keepers.
• The articles on Austin and Dallas make me want to visit old friends.  The sky is just bigger in Texas!
• A call out to my home state Virginia.  Writer Logan Ward, fellow Vanderbilt grad, is a contributing author this month. He opens up about his experience writing See You in a Hundred Years while living in Staunton, Virginia.
• Cashiers. Western NC is my centering place.  My rejuvenation.  This FABULOUS Cashiers home is featured in Southern Accents.  My dear friend Mary has been in this home and she says it is breathtaking.
• Baltimore renovation by Nashville architect Ray Booth, of McAlpine, Booth & Ferrier.  This struck me as a funny merger of MD/Nashville as I was packing to move to Baltimore not 2 months ago.  The design is beautiful.  I love historic homes.
• Even the ads are wonderful.  Be sure to check out the gold and turquoise jewelry featured by Elizabeth Showers at Fiskin & Fiskin jewelers!

I hope you go out today and buy this issue and spend the Holiday weekend enjoying and savoring it.  Be safe, relax, have fun……-Liza

When I first read the news last Thursday that Southern Accents was discontinuing its publication, my first thought was, “What about the Southern Accents Showhouse?” I look forward to that issue every year.  In fact, my favorite house of all time, which happens to be near where I grew up, was the Southern Accents Showhouse of 2005, “Old Dominion”.  As a tribute to Southern Accents, and perhaps to give you some decorating inspiration as well, feast your eyes upon my dream house.

Be sure to pick up the Sept/Oct issue as this is Southern Accents last.  I hope this years 2009 Showcase house will be featured; it is in Fort Worth, TX.  If you would like to see photos from other Southern Accents showhomes, check out Rachel Halvorson’s post today at www.nestegg.typepad.com.  Since Southern Accents will remain online, perhaps it can print again in the future.  So long my favorite….I’ll miss you.

If I ever build custom, this is what my house will look like. Well, perhaps this outline with a modern spin.

A close up of the stone work

Can I move right in? No need to change a thing!

Isn't this the dining room you want to linger in?

Perfection

OK- so I'd have to redecorate the Master Bedroom. I'm up for the challenge, and I'll keep the color scheme!