, N.M. —

Shocked by the high cost of Christmas trees, Steve Verchinski found a bargain solution in 1988 ... the Christmas weed. Advertisement

Armed with a hatchet, Verchinski hit the New Mexican roads in search of the perfect weed. When he spotted a suitable candidate, he chopped it free with a few swift blows and loaded it into his truck.

Verchinski's reason for choosing an "ever-brown" tree over an evergreen one was simple. "I'm not going to spend $60 to $70 for something I'm going to throw out in five weeks," he explained.

Watch the video to see what the reporter called a "distinctly New Mexican Christmas."

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