Families will kick off the holiday season this weekend by making magical memories at Iowa Christmas tree farms like the Strautman Tree Farm of Cambridge.

At the Strautman Tree Farm north of Cambridge, memories are made every holiday season — but some, like the tale of the missing pink boot, can be truly heartwarming and unforgettable.

Farm manager Joe Heintz tells the story of a local couple who found their perfect Christmas tree, only to realize after arriving home that their 3-year-old daughter was missing one of her favorite bright pink boots, presumably lost among the rows of evergreens.

With no luck in an initial search, days later the farm staff located the boot resting atop a tree in the 90-acre lot. How it got there remains a mystery.

“She hadn’t realized until she got home that she only...