Have a Fourth Grader? You Get a FREE Christmas Tree in Idaho This Year!

There are few greater things during the holiday season than getting home from a long day at work, throwing the front door open and instantly being greeted by the crisp pine smell coming from your Christmas tree. 

That wonderful aroma is probably the top reason for people joining #TeamRealTree. What’s fun about #TeamRealTree is that you can further break it down into subdivisions. Some families what a fresh tree, but opt to spend time browsing a tree lot to find one that’s the perfect size and shape for their living room.

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Others choose to search for their tree in a manner that would make Clark Griswold proud. They’ll load up the family and venture out into the woods to find a tree that might not necessarily be as full of needles as some of the pretty trees on the lot, but it’s full of character! 

This free Christmas tree offer is for those who fall into that second group! Both the Boise and Payette National Forests participate in "Every Kid Outdoors." This is a program available to fourth graders across the state of Idaho. Signing up for a pass lets kids and their families experience outdoor adventures through over 2,000 federal lands and water for free. The goal is to help inspire these kids to reduce their screen time and become the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.

Once your fourth grader has their pass, they can print the pass and use it to get their free Christmas tree permit. The Payette National Forest Office explains that for their permits, parents will need to call a Forest Service office for curbside service because the free permits aren't available through their commercial vendors and can’t be sent through the mail. 

Kids can also use their Every Kid Outdoors pass to get their Christmas Tree permits from either the Boise or Payette National Forests through recreation.gov. To do so, they just have to enter their voucher number at checkout. Getting your permits online does come with a $2.50 service fee.

Permits are good for one tree measuring up to 12 feet tall. The Boise National Forest lists the dates you can use the permits as November 18 through December 25. Payette National Forest permits can be used from November 18 through December 31.