While many people celebrated indoors next to their Christmas trees, one Harrison County resident has grown his tree nearly 40 feet tall.

Orval Plotts, 86, of Freeport has grown and sold Christmas trees for more than40 years, but the Norway sprucetree wins his heart.

This tree, I just kept babying it, just wanted it to look pretty for advertising when we sold the trees," said Plotts. "It was kind of a display tree."

And it turned into a 40-foot masterpiece. Plotts spends about 20 hours trimming the tree with clippers by hand.

"I have help with my wife, and we have a short ladder that's 12 feet long," said Plotts. "We go all around the whole thing, so that's got the heaviest part of the tree done."

It took decades for the Norway spruce to grow that big -- a very impressive feat that catches everyone's attention.

"As it grew, local people would even stop once in a while, but strangers would see it and do an about-face and come and take pictures," said Plotts.

The shock of the tree gets so much attention that locals suggested Plotts give the tree to the president.

"That happens more often than not. They say, 'Yougoing to send this one to the White Housefor the White Housetree or to the state for the state tree?'" said Plotts. "I guess if they want it bad enough, they can cut it down."

But Plotts said he hopes he'll get to keep the tree for now. He said he and his wife stopped decorating the tree about 10 years ago because it would take days just to do it.