Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Near the Southwest Suburbs (and Christmas Tree Lots Closer to Home)

by Brian Wittman

You'll get the real cut-your-own tree farms within a drive of the southwest suburbs, which ones have posted their 2026 dates, and the local lots selling fresh-cut trees closer to home. Save it, and Thanksgiving weekend's planned.

Here's what you may not realize. There isn't a cut-your-own tree farm in any of the 20 southwest suburb towns covered here. Every real one's a drive away. The good news is that one of them opens on Thanksgiving Day.

Where can you cut your own Christmas tree near the southwest suburbs?

The cut-your-own farms within a drive are Cupola House Tree Farm with a Bourbonnais address, Tammen Treeberry Farm with a Wilmington address, Anderson Tree Farm in Plainfield and Abbey Farms in Aurora. Cupola House and Abbey Farms have posted their 2026 dates. The others usually open the day after Thanksgiving, so check before you load up the car.

Which tree farms have posted their 2026 dates?

Cupola House Tree Farm (Bourbonnais address). This is the one that opens on Thanksgiving Day, from 9 to 1, and then runs daily into December. You can cut your own or buy one already cut, and the farm grows Fraser, balsam, Canaan and concolor fir, plus blue and Norway spruce and white and Scots pine. Saws and twine are provided, shaking and netting are free, and leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome. Cash is preferred, though they take cards too. Fields can get muddy, so you'll want boots. The farm's own site has the full 2026 hours.

Abbey Farms (Aurora). It's the farthest drive on the list, and it's the one you'll need to book ahead. Visits are ticketed this season with a free timed ticket, from Saturday, November 21 through Wednesday, December 23, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can cut your own or grab one that's already cut. Bow saws are available for a deposit, the crew helps shake and load, and leashed dogs are welcome everywhere but the hay rides. Reserve on Abbey Farms' site before you go.

Which farms open after Thanksgiving?

Tammen Treeberry Farm (Wilmington address). If you live in Will County, this is probably your closest true cut-your-own farm, south of Braidwood off Essex Road. Lorenz Tammen started planting trees here in 1953, and the farm grows Scotch and white pine, Douglas fir, Fraser fir and Canaan fir. Its standing policy is cutting from the day after Thanksgiving, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Last season, though, the farm said it had fewer trees, and some fields were closed opening weekend. It hasn't posted 2026 yet, so check Tammen's own news page before you go.

Anderson Tree Farm (Plainfield). Anderson grows Douglas fir, Colorado spruce, white pine, balsam fir and Norway spruce, and it sells pre-cut Fraser fir, wreaths and roping. Local coverage hasn't agreed on how much of the field is cut-your-own in a given year, and the farm hasn't posted 2026 dates. Call before you drive out, and ask what you'll actually find in the field.

Where can you buy a fresh-cut tree closer to home?

If the drive isn't worth it this year, these lots sell trees that are already cut. None has posted 2026 hours yet, so you'll want to check before you go.

Palos Lions Club lot, Palos Heights. The Palos Lions have been selling trees for more than 60 years from the bank lot at 127th Street and Harlem Avenue. Last year they had balsam, Fraser and Canaan fir, plus wreaths, and Santa stopped by Thanksgiving weekend. It's a real piece of the holidays if you're considering a move to Palos Heights.

Puckerville Farms, Lemont. This is a family farm, and it's honest about what it sells: Fraser fir grown in western Michigan, pre-cut, plus wreaths and garland. Its own site says it doesn't offer cut-your-own, so don't plan on bringing a saw. A family farm selling trees every winter is part of what you'd get moving to Lemont, IL.

Orland Park Lions Club lot, Orland Park. The Lions set up at the Civic Center on Ravinia Avenue, with trees, wreaths and wood crafts, and they'll wrap, load and tie your tree for free. If you're house hunting in Orland Park, it's the in-town stop that keeps the money local.

Also around town: Kringle's Tree Factory on Spencer Road in New Lenox, Gorman Tree Farm on Bruns Road in Monee and Crosswind Farms on Manhattan-Monee Road in Manhattan have each run seasonal lots in recent years. Call ahead, since none has posted 2026 hours.

Do you need a saw or a reservation?

It depends on the farm, so here's what you'll find posted. Cupola House provides saws and twine and doesn't take reservations for trees. Abbey Farms lends bow saws for a deposit and requires a free timed ticket. Tammen and Anderson don't say on their sites, so bring your own saw if you've got one.

How do you keep a cut tree fresh?

The University of Illinois Extension keeps it simple for you. Make a fresh half-inch cut off the bottom of your trunk before it goes in the stand. Use a stand that holds about a quart of water for every inch of trunk width, which is about a gallon for most trees, and keep it full. Plain water works, so you don't need sugar or additives. Keep your tree away from heaters, vents, fireplaces and direct sun. Cared for that way, a tree usually lasts three to four weeks.

The Bottom Line

You won't find a cut-your-own farm in the towns covered here, but you've got good options within a drive of your house. For Thanksgiving Day, it's Cupola House. For a booked, all-day outing, it's Abbey Farms. For the closest true farm, it's Tammen, once it posts its 2026 season. And if you'd rather stay close, the Lions lots in Palos Heights and Orland Park and Puckerville in Lemont sell fresh trees right in town. Pair the trip with a sledding hill and you've got a whole weekend.

I checked Mokena, Palos Park, Palos Hills, Tinley Park, Homer Glen, Peotone, Channahon, Minooka, Shorewood and Joliet, and couldn't verify a tree farm or a local tree lot in any of them. That's about tree lots, not the towns.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do Christmas tree farms open?

Most open the day after Thanksgiving. This year, Cupola House opens on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, and Abbey Farms opens Saturday, November 21. Check each farm's own site before you go.

Is there a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm in the southwest suburbs?

Not in any of the 20 towns covered here, so you'll be driving. The closest cut-your-own farms are Tammen near Braidwood, Anderson in Plainfield and Cupola House near Bourbonnais.

Can I bring my dog to cut a Christmas tree?

At Cupola House, leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome. At Abbey Farms, leashed dogs are welcome except on the hay rides. Other farms don't say, so call first.

Do I need a reservation to cut a Christmas tree?

Only at Abbey Farms, which uses free timed tickets this season. Cupola House doesn't take tree reservations.

How much does a cut-your-own Christmas tree cost?

It changes every year and by species, and most farms post prices close to opening day. Some prefer cash, so bring some just in case.

Do the Lions Club lots sell real trees?

Yes. The Palos Lions in Palos Heights and the Orland Park Lions have both sold fresh-cut trees and wreaths in recent seasons. Check their 2026 hours before you go.

If you know a tree farm or lot I missed, tell me and I'll go check it out.

Last updated: November 2026

For more around-town finds like this one, follow along on Instagram over at @chicagolandhomeandmoney.

Brian Wittman is a licensed real estate broker (Real Broker LLC), mortgage loan originator (NMLS #2646598, NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Equal Housing Lender), and life insurance producer (Levinson & Associates). For full disclosures, visit https://bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.