Miriam Ellis has had some odd requests in her time – including one for a 14-foot tall Christmas tree that was two-foot all the way up. "I'm not sure what that person was after," she said. "Because it sure wasn't a Christmas tree – they grow to many sizes, but never like that!"

Miriam and her business partner Pat O'Flaherty have been supplying Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes to families in and around Ketton since buying 10 acres of land there 12 years ago.

Feature: Have a thought for those working at Christmas
Jemma Walton meets some of the people working over the Christmas period.
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Miriam said: "We were both nurses, but we decided to buy a small piece of land and see what we could do with it. We were advised to plant Christmas trees on it and haven't looked back since. It's a lovely job, because everyone you see is happy and looking forward to Christmas. People can either choose a tree that we've picked, or they can go down into the wood and choose their own tree, which people love to do. I must have been in more family videos that anyone!"

Miriam's customers can choose from 25,000 trees, with another 1,000 being added each year to top the levels up. Work on the forest takes place throughout the year, but the busiest period is December, without a doubt.

Miriam said: "We pick weeds, trim, shear and shape the trees throughout the year, and my favourite time is during the summer. They smell beautiful then, and walking through the forest is just wonderful.

"But December is always busy. We close at noon on Christmas Eve, and it's not unusual to have someone turn up at 11.45am."

Each tree grows a foot a year, and Miriam admits to having felt a little bit sad when she cut down a 12-year-old, 12-footer earlier in the year. "But it went to a Peterborough church," she said. "So we know it's gone to a good home."

Tip from the professionals: Water your Christmas tree every day.

They can drink up to a litre of water a day, and people have reported them staying green until March when watered.

Also, check a tree has heavy branches when you buy it. This means it's got plenty of water inside and will stay looking good throughout Christmas.

Norwegian Scots Pine trees are £2.50 a foot, no-needle trees are £4.50 a foot.

Ketton Christmas Trees is at North Luffenham Road, Ketton, near Stamford.

For more information call 01780 721940 or see www.kettonchristmastrees.co.uk.