HOUGHTON - As quickly as Halloween came and went, organizations at Michigan Technological University began prepping for Christmas.

The Forestry Club and Xi Sigma Pi, the forestry honor fraternity, are sponsoring the annual Christmas tree sale again this year. Russell Gross, a senior in the forestry department at Michigan Tech, said the organizations have been hosting the sale for several years, providing people of the Copper Country a vast selection of trees for the Christmas holiday.

The 6- to 12-foot tall evergreen trees, available in Fraser fir, Douglas fir, balsam and white spruce, are currently available for order from the organizations until 5 p.m., Nov. 17.

"We order them through the Lake Superior Tree Company," Gross said.

Trees range in height and vary in price. Prices for Fraser fir range from $39 to $68, Douglas fir range from $23 to $53 and spruce and balsam range from $27 to $47.

Hosting the Christmas tree sale is one of the big events both organizations participate in, Gross said. Every year, members of the Forestry Club attend conferences, and some members attend conventions held all over the United States.

"We have job fairs and we meet with different states and different people that are looking to hire us," he said. "And then we do the Christmas tree sale."

Although they don't take part in actually harvesting the trees, the group still dives into the project head-first during the holiday season, he said.

All trees must be preordered and pickup will be from noon to 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 11. A $7 delivery charge will be added.

To purchase a Christmas tree through the organizations or for more information, contact Gross at rjgross@mtu.edu, Kip Cline at kacline@mtu.edu or Mickey Jarvi at mpjarvi@mtu.edu.

Stacey Kukkonen can be reached at skukkonen@mininggazette.com.