My dad has always been a car person, so it's not surprising that the Christmas tradition he has carried forward revolves around a car. He and his family used to drive their 1971 Ford Country Sedan to the Habig Garden Shop in Indianapolis to pick out a Christmas tree. The store had a giant trowel for a sign that he still remembers. They'd pick out a tree, bring it home, and put on the lights, the ornaments, and finally the icicles (tinsel).

In 2013, my dad bought a 1971 Ford Country Squire on eBay. Aside from the wood trim and the third-row seats, it is the same car he grew up with. Every December, we drive it along the side roads to the Christmas tree lot (it is not suited for the highway). More often than not, someone comes up to him to talk about how they love those old wood-paneled wagons, how their parents had one growing up and the memories they have of it. I think a lot of people like seeing one still full of kids (even grown-up ones) with a Christmas tree strapped to the roof.

– Trey Deitch

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