Meet the family who has kept their Christmas tree alive for 34 years

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Joe and Gina Mistretta bought a potted Scotch pine for their home in California's Irvine, the US 34 years ago. Back then, when the Christmas holiday was over, they did not put it to the trash or a recycling bin but redecorated it for every year since then.

"It looks different every year. Some years are good; some years are not. You happened to catch it on a really good year," Gina said.

The Mistretti family with their 34-year-old Christmas tree. /VCG Photo

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.

"If someone is more traditional, for a triangular tree, that's great. But it's really what the tree represents," Joe Jr. said.

He's re-potted the tree four times, and it even survived a fire accident. The home's front door had to be doubled in size so the nearly 300-pound tree can be rolled in.

"There is no perfect life, there is no perfect tree, and we like it that way. And the ornaments that we put on it are not perfectly put in the perfect spot, but they mean something to us," Gina said.

The tree is a time capsule of their lives. It was there when Gina's parents were alive and shared the holidays with them. It was there when Michael was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 13 and five years later when he went into remission.

"It's really a family member. You bring it in, and you go OK, it's time for you now, come on. I've taken care of you the whole year, now it's your turn. Show time!" Joe said.

And it will continue to be there as the family makes new memories. After all, the Scotch pine could well be around for another 100 years.

"There are so many people who have touched this, our lives and have been part of that tree," Joe said. "We're getting older and the tree's getting older with us and you know it's growing with us."