GORE — As they tramp through a pine forest north of town, Dave Koch and his 13-year-old daughter Blake join a search that thousands of other area residents make this time of year — the search for the perfect Christmas tree.

Fortunately, they know just what to look for and where to go.

“We like real trees because they’re more natural looking,” said Blake, an eighth-grader at Gore Middle School.

Dave Koch said he always buys trees from the Cal2Homa Christmas Tree Farm north of Gore because the owners, Brian and Rachelle Batesole are good friends.

“And we like to see them blessed,” he said.

The Batesoles’ tree farm is just one of several places people can buy Christmas trees in the Muskogee area. Discount stores, home improvement stores and grocers offer live and artificial trees of all sizes and varieties.

Steve Romine, outdoor gardening sales manager at Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, said small artificial trees seem to be the top sellers this year.

“We’ve actually sold a lot more artificial trees this year, mostly four-foot tall table-top ones, even though the fresh ones are more economical,” he said Wednesday morning. “We only have, like, three left.”

However, the home improvement store also has a variety of cut natural trees, including Fraser fir, Scotch pine and Douglas fir he said.

Romine said the Fraser fir is the best tree for the money.

“It’s a fuller, really green, nice looking tree,” he said. “The trees are in a medium price range.”

Fraser firs also are less likely to drop leaves or needles, he said. “I would not recommend a Scotch pine with kids, it could cut hands.”

Cal2Homa has two main tree varieties this year, Carolina sapphire and Virginia pine.

Brian Batesole said buyers are attracted to the Carolina sapphire because of its unique color.