The lights are hung outside. Presents are being bought. Carols are being sung. The decorations are out (though not all up yet). This means only one thing. Christmas is fast approaching.
So is Valerie's birthday (Dec. 12th). It is tradition in the Brink household that we buy our tree on her birthday, or as close to it as possible. That's right, we're real tree people.If you've ever been in our house come December, you've been near a real honest-to-goodness Christmas tree. Just as God intended.
Okay, I know some of you are fake tree people and I'm sorry. Not that I may offend you, but that you're all cheaters. No, only joking. I would like to discuss the matter a bit though. Let's look at the arguments for and against the real trees.
1.The most recent argument is from the environmental crowd who claim that it's wrong to kill a tree for decorative purposes, and harmful to the environment to boot. Phooey. A real tree can be reused. Some small trees can be replanted and take root again if done properly. Larger trees are generally ground up and used for mulch. From the earth back to the earth. Artificial trees are usually made of plastics and other materials which are non-biodegradable. So once they've lived out their usefulness, these things just sit in a land fill taking up space. Forever.
2. Artificial trees are easier. Granted, finding a tree, putting it up, watering it, caring for it and decorating the real tree can be laborious. But, with the fake trees you still have to put them together and decorate them each year. Plus, after a few years the "branches" begin to loose their shape and you have to fluff each one up individually (virtually guaranteeing a mouthful of dust). We'll call this one a tie.
3. The smell bothers my allergies. Okay, I'll give you that one, although many trees have a very light scent. Also, we have had people with severe allergies over to the house during Christmas and no-one's ever complained or felt poorly. Besides, I have winter allergies but I take a pill daily and I'm not bothered. So come on over-I've got extra Claritin.
4. Real trees are messy. Yes, they are. So wear gloves when you move it, vacuum the needles and quit whining. The points go to the real trees on this one because only sissies and lame-os make this argument.
And the last argument to be made is for Tradition. With a capital T (which rhymes with P and that stands for presents. Sorry.) Anyway, tradition. That's a big part of Christmas. A real tree decorated for Christmas dates back to the 16th century in Germany and 1851 in America. How much more traditional can you get? Real trees can be a wonderful tradition for families. I used to love going out with my father to find the perfect tree-whether we cut it down ourselves or found it on a lot. It was a bonding experience at Christmas time. As a child, I was always in charge of checking on the water each night and helping to fill the stand when needed. Caring for the tree combined with the fragrance in the air made me feel good all month long. And that's how we should all feel when we see our trees. An appreciation for nature, family and love at Christmas time.
So, have I changed any minds? Gonna stick with your artificial tree? Or are you ready to make the plunge and get a big awesome tree this year? How about a raggelly ol' Charlie Brown tree?
Well, either way, enjoy your tree. Make sure it looks really nice, and maybe sing some carols and make some popcorn or eat candy canes while you decorate it. Make it a special part of your Christmas celebrations. Deck them halls people. Deck 'em.
Back soon with a Christmas music post. And maybe I can use the word "phooey" again. That was fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment