"Top of the mornin’ to you," booms Rocky Brougham to a couple shopping for a Christmas tree. The elfin owner of Luckylure, which is the name of his "Holiday Activity Center" in Evergreen, has been setting up this seasonal sanctuary on his property for 12 years. Nestled along meandering Highway 73, the scent of fresh evergreen is unmistakable.

Surrounded by pines and fir trees, customers wander in and out of lanes where trees are arranged in rows by price. Brougham’s cell phone rings. "We're looking for you to come on up," he says to the caller. "Where are you calling from? Golden? Mapquest gives you an easy route, and it's a gorgeous day up here." He tells the caller that a 12-foot tree costs between $100 and $250 and mentions that he doesn’t take credit cards.

"People come from all over the Front Range to get their trees here," he said. "Families come here because we offer a unique mountain atmosphere. I think people are tired of chain link fences and parking lots. Besides, trees in parking lots dry out, whereas we bring trees in from farms in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. They are preferable because they hold up better to our climate. If they come from a warmer climate they don’t hold up as well," Brougham claimed.

Brougham brags on his crew, all of whom wear red sweatshirts and Santa hats. "Most of them have been doing this every year," he says. He opens on the day after Thanksgiving. He adds that he frequently sells a dozen or more trees to loyal customers even before the lot is officially open. "Some people like to put up their trees up on Thanksgiving, when the family is around, and some folks just like to buy their trees early because they’re fresher and they last longer," he says.

An inflatable Santa Claus is perched on the roof of Brougham’s house, and holiday music hums in the background. "I've got your love to keep me warm . . ."

Some trees are bundled and some stacked to lean on each other. A small tent is erected to house holiday merchandise, and a Santa sled is set up so folks with a camera can create their own holiday photo opportunity.

Brougham, who is also known as "Rocky the Leprechaun," said, "Families are greeted by our elves and every child gets a stocking full of goodies, whether they buy a tree or not." He acknowledges that an occasional shopper may say, "They’re cheaper at Safeway." His comeback: "Our trees are so fresh they last until Valentine’s Day."

The sun is shining on Nov. 26 as a family of four strolls through the trees. The Greer family from Denver inspects several trees. They ask about locally cut trees and Elf Steve Denbow says, "Here are some we cut locally, if you like the Charlie Brown look, they're a little more open."

B.J. Schnabel from Highlands Ranch shops with Dave Daigler. She said, "We had to come up on a sunny day to pick out a tree. It's great. We have been coming here for 10 years. They have the best trees, fun people." Schnabel said even when she lived east of Parker she liked to come here. "It's worth the tree," Daigler added. "And they say, Ho, Ho, Ho!"
Ken Reidy and Lenann McGookeyGardner buy a tree and confess they have never been here before. Reidy said, "We found it on the internet." He mentions they usually get their tree right after Thanksgiving and although it is the day after, he says, "We’re seven hours late. But we came from Albuquerque. We just wanted to get away."

When interested parties call on the phone, Brougham refers them to several Web sites and reminds people as they leave that he carries Colorado forest products such as pine cone gifts, wreaths and tabletop trees.

"They’re on the Web site," he says."And we’re donating a portion of proceeds to benefit local fire departments, the Senior Resource Center, Elks Lodge 2363 and, the Evergreen High School music department."

As the elves bundle up a tree for Reidy and Gardner, and take it to their car, a couple walks up the dirt path. Elf Michael Santana greets them with a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho. Welcome to Luckylure."

For more information about Luckylure, call 303-674-5777, or visit

<http://www.coloradochristmastrees.com/>

<http://www.coloradopromotionalproducts.com/>

<http://www.rockytheleprechaun.com/>