Joe and Gina Mistretta bought a potted Scotch pine 34 years ago, when it was about 1m tall.
Back then, it was so small it could only hold one string of lights. When the holiday was over, out it went - not to the trash or a recycling bin, but to a new, year-round home in the yard.
"It looks different every year. Some years are good, some years are not. You happened to catch it on a really good year," Gina says.
"It's got its own shape, it's got its own character, but it's still growing," Joe says.
A few years later, Joe and Gina had two little boys who grew to love Christmas morning around their tiny tree. Now 27 and 31, it's the only Christmas tree Michael and Joe Jr have ever known.
Watch the video for the full CBS News report.
