COLUMBIA, S.C. — As Thanksgiving passes, people across the Midlands are already preparing for the winter holidays.

On Friday, the Sugar Mountain Fraser Fir tree lot saw its busiest day of the season as families came out to choose their Christmas trees.

The lot is celebrating its 39th season in northeast Columbia on Clemson Road. Owner Jeri Minford said this year’s crop is the best they’ve had in years.

“The growing season this year was much better than it has been got several years, and the trees look better than they have looked in a long time," Minford said. "They just are fluffy and healthy and dark green and smell great.”

Prices remain the same as last year, ranging from $60 for a 5-foot tree to about $260 for an 11-foot tree. This season, the lot expects to sell between 1,000 and

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