CALIFORNIA — A family has a holiday tradition unlike any other in California.
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The Mistrettas have used the same Christmas since for over 40 years.
Gina and Joe Mistretta first bought their family Christmas tree in 1983 and have kept it alive ever since, according to TV stations KCAL and KCBS.
“It’s been our only tree that we’ve had in our family,” Gina said. “It’s more than a tree. It’s part of our family.
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This tree has witnessed the family’s journey through 46 years of marriage and is, in fact, older than their children.
It is decorated with unique ornaments collected from their travels, making it a cherished family memento.
The couple has been married for 46 years. They bought the tree when it was a small plant in 1983, during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
They have lovingly nurtured it for 42 years, making it the only Christmas tree their children have ever known.
“It’s kind of a time capsule of our life, places we’ve been,” Joe said. “When we travel, we’ll go buy an ornament and put it on the tree.”
This sentiment highlights how deeply intertwined the tree is with their family memories and traditions.
“Christmas is celebrated as a holiday, but it really has to be something you keep in your heart all year round,” said Joe. “If more people did that, Christmas wouldn’t just be a day… it would be a spirit.”
Scotch pines live 150 to 300 years. It means the family could pass the tree down from generation to generation.
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