It's 1875 and Christmastime in western North Dakota, but there are no pine trees in sight.

No lots of chopped evergreens, or fields of fur pines. No fluffy pine tree to chop down and bring home, to decorate with that traditional Victorian decor:cards, walnuts, ribbons and popcorn.

But there is plenty of tumbleweed.

"In 1875, it would've been 'use what you can find,'" said Nora Salveson, an interpreter at the Custer House at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park.

And so, in recreating a Christmas in Victorian 1875 for the park's annual "Custer Christmas," a large Christmas tumbleweed tree delicately hangs from the ceiling in a windowed nook in the parlor of the Custer House.

It's a stark winter white, accented with reds and golds of Victorian decor, with strings and strings of popcorn and cranberries.

The Custer House was abuzz with visitors and interpreters, families and carolers for the re-creation of an 1875 Christmas. For nearly three weeks, Salveson helped put up traditional decorations of ribbons, fabric, dried fruits and strands galore of popcorn and cranberries.

"We have, I'm sure, miles of popcorn and cranberry strings,"Salveson said.

In fact, as carolers serenaded visitors with Christmas classics, two ladies dressed in traditional Victorian garb pulled string through the popcorn and cranberries beneath the tumbleweed tree.

More than 300 people visited for "A Custer Christmas," which ran Dec. 9 and 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors were treated to chili in the commissary, traditional decor and carolers in the Custer House, and sleigh ride -or, rather, a hay ride due to the lack of snow-around the campus.

Inside the Custer home, families and friends posed for old-time photos and children helped make their own Victorian decor.

"We enjoy spending time with the family,"said Jackie Schmidt, watching grandson Fabian Raygo, 14 months, put together a paper stocking while sitting on his aunt's lap.

The family most enjoyed the sleigh/hay ride, Schmidt said, adding that they hope to come out more often in the future.

As for Salveson, who spent many hours putting together tumbleweed wreaths and trees, and stringing ribbons, fabric, foiled walnuts and glass balls throughout the house, having families come together makes her work worthwhile, she said.

Because truly, wrangling a tumbleweed tree isn't high on her list of fun things to do.

"If you've ever handled tumbleweed, well, they poke you,"she said. "Probably working with tumbleweed is the most difficult. But afterwards, it's really rewarding."

(Reach reporter Crystal R. Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@;bismarcktribune.com.)