Family Affair: Almost Heavenly Trees and Greenery

The Gallery family will open their Alexandria Christmas tree lot Friday morning, just as they have each holiday season since 1982, to sell trees from their own farm and others, at Almost Heavenly Trees & Greenery.

The lot is located at 5021 Seminary Road in Alexandria.

The lot and farm are family-owned and operated and have seen customers that have been coming to buy trees since they were kids and now bring their kids, according to Nate Gallery. Nate’s parents Phil and Shari started the business.

Trees for sale at the lot include Douglas and Fraser fir and range from three to more than nine feet tall. The garden center also sells pine garland, mixed green wreaths and its famous “marriage saver” Superior Tree Stands, which reportedly work a lot better than the traditional screw-in stands.

At the end of the holiday season, Almost Heavenly Trees & Greenery sends any unsold trees through the Alexandria City tree recycling program where it is turned into mulch and reused for the environment.

The family’s roots are in the D.C. area. “We actually lived on Dupont Circle before moving to West Virginia to start the Christmas tree farm,” says Nate. The farm is located in Augusta, W. Va.

His father Phil is a Senate Page School alumni, Naval Academy graduate (Nuclear Physics major) and Vietnam veteran and his mother Shari received her MBA from George Washington University.

Nate Gallery, his older brother, and younger twin sisters were all raised on the tree farm and all put themselves through college (Duquesne University, Naval Academy, West Virginia University and Shepard University respectively) with scholarships and money they earned on the tree farm.

Nate and his brother are both former Naval officers who have moved on to new careers, but take time off to go back and help Phil and Shari keep the tradition going.

“We’re very proud of our Christmas tree business and what it’s enabled us to do,” says Nate.

The Christmas tree lot hours are:

• Monday thru Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sundays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Almost Heavenly Christmas Trees & Greenery also provides trees and holiday greenery for the North Ridge Citizens Association‘s Annual Community Tree Sale, in 2014 on Dec. 6-7 and 13-14. For directions and times to this wonderful community tradition click here.