The Hallmark Channel will kick off Christmas movie binge-watching season with a cross-country tour to Christmas tree farms – and a stop in North Texas is on the schedule.
Haynie's Green Acres Farm in Crowley – one of eight family-owned farms on the tour – will host a Hallmark Channel holiday pop-up event on two consecutive weekends, November 25-27 and December 3-4. The feel-good cable television network will install cheery photo ops, provide festive giveaways, and most notably, comp Christmas tree purchases for randomly selected customers.
The pop-up coincides with Hallmark Channel's signature holiday programming event, "Countdown to Christmas," which will debut new original holiday movies every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the holiday season.
It'll be like stepping into a Hallmark Christmas movie.Photo courtesy of Hallmark Channel
This is the second year for Hallmark’s holiday activations at Christmas tree farms, and their second time to appear at Haynie's. Farm owner Bettye Haynie says she was initially contacted by Hallmark to participate in the pop-up because her farm represented the channel's family-friendly values.
"We are excited to have Hallmark return to our farm this year," Haynie says. "They have been a wonderful fit and it has been our pleasure to have them visit."
Representatives from Hallmark Channel say farms were chosen based on their presence as a long-standing family destination where holiday traditions are manifested.
One other Texas tree farm was chosen, Spring Creek Growers, in Magnolia, northwest of Houston. The tour is also stopping in Somis, California; Powder Springs, Georgia; Chesterland, Ohio; Yardley, Pennsylvania; Raleigh/Cary, North Carolina; and Manalapan, New Jersey.
The Haynie family has owned their Crowley farm (30 minutes south of Fort Worth) since 1978 and began growing Christmas trees in 1998. Trees range from Virginia pines to Carolina Sapphires and even brightly colored flocked Fraser firs. Prices range from $39.99 for a tabletop tree to up to $999 for a 12-foot flocked fir.
Although Haynie's typically lets customers chop down their own trees, this year all trees are pre-cut, as fields are closed due to the summer drought.
All trees at Haynie's will be pre-cut this year.Photo courtesy of Hallmark Channel
Haynie's offers complimentary family-friendly activities, including weekend hayrides, coffee and cider, picnic areas and tree swings, and plenty of areas for photography (rates apply for professional photograph sessions). Admission to Haynie's is free.
The Hallmark Channel tree giveaways will take nothing but a bit of luck on customers' part. During the pop-up events, customers will be selected randomly at checkout to receive a voucher good toward their tree purchase.
The Hallmark Channel pop-ups will run November 25-27 and December 3-4; hours are 2-5:30 pm Friday, 10 am-5:30 pm Saturday, and 12-5:30 pm Sunday.
Free photos with Santa will be available from 2-4 pm November 26-27 and December 3-4.
Haynie's Green Acres Farm is at 10405 Shannon Valley Dr., Crowley. For more information, visit their website.
