'Tis the season to grab a saw and some rope and head deep into the woods in search of the perfect symbol of Christmas--a tree.

"It's a seasonal symbol and something that brightens up the dorm," said Julia R. Forman '02, a resident of Hurlbut Hall who is planning to buy a tree with her dormmates.

"[A Christmas tree] would bring holiday spirit to the dorm, which you miss being away from home," she said.

Several Houses, such as Eliot and Kirkland, also put up Christmas trees in their dining halls for the holidays.

Close to campus, thousands of pre-cut trees sit in lots across Cambridge, where dozens of Christmas tree vendors annually set up shop. In addition to the scattered gas stations that sell them, several nurseries nearby offer trees of varying heights and species.

Among these are Bonny's Landscape Service at 41 Bay State Rd., just off the Fresh Pond Parkway near the Alewife T stop; Pemberton Garden Center at 2243 Mass. Ave. near Davis Square, and Mahoney's Garden Center at 889 Memorial Drive.

All the locations are accessible by public transportation and offer a variety of wreaths, garlands and other decorations in addition to Christmas trees.

Jacqueline K. Donnelly, 68, purchased a Christmas tree yesterday at Pemberton Garden Center, a tradition she said she looks for ward to every year.

"I just love coming out here," she said. "As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I come to get my tree."

A sales clerk at Bonny's Landscape Service said the price of Christmas trees ranged from $10 to $30, depending on the size and variety of tree.

With the holiday season in full swing, the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association has set up a telephone hotline and Web site for those who need help finding the perfect tree.

The association maintains a list of more than 50 tree farms in the state where customers can venture into the woods and chop down their own tree. Most of the locations also have a selection of fresh-cut trees for purchase.

Wreaths and other festive decorations are also available at these sites, which are all situated outside the metropolitan area.

The associations Web site address is www.Christmas-Trees.org, and the hotline number is (800) 521-3550.

According to a fact list published by the National Christmas Tree Association, more than 33 million trees were sold in the United States last year, raised by an estimated 15,000 Christmas tree growers.