There’s something almost magical about putting up the tree each year and decorating it – it just really lifts my spirits and makes the holiday season real.
I love our tree. We got it a couple of years ago from a Thanksgiving sale, where you have to get up and be at the store at zero o’clock in order to get the deal. This is the only time I remember ever doing that but it was worth it to us. We had been talking about getting a normal-size tree for years but we were forever renovating our older home and had literally nowhere to put it, so when we were finally able to get a bigger tree, we were truly overjoyed.
And yes, our tree is fake but we happen to be the kind of people that feel fake trees are better for the environment than killing a tree each year and discarding it after the holidays are over. I know that Christmas trees are grown specifically to grace people’s homes around the holidays but I always feel so sad seeing all the dead Christmas trees after the holidays. I also know that fake trees are made mostly of plastics/fossil fuels, which is not very green but they are very reusable and to us that’s the lesser of the two evils. Ours is an LED tree, so at least it’s energy efficient.
We are also finding out that a fake Christmas tree makes sense for those in the Foreign Service because if you are posted to a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, you may be unable to find a Christmas tree (real or fake). It may not seem important but when you are far away from home in a different culture, something like a Christmas tree can really brighten the holiday season, especially if you have kids. Our tree will allow us to bring Christmas with us to New Delhi and wherever we end up after that and we are glad about that.
So, our tree is up and we are enjoying it and the magic of the Holiday Season. Here’s hoping you have a magical Holiday Season too!
Oh! the great debate! Growing up in Michigan, literally next door to acres and acres of Christmas tree farms, I've always been drawn to the real thing, supporting my hometown economy- not to mention the smell, the imperfection, and the imminent danger of a giant torch in your living room come mid-January. Oh the thrill!! Now my husband thinks we need a fake. It's heart wrenching for me to admit, but I think he's right...
ReplyDeleteI understand the argument in favor of fake trees, but there's something about the smell and the look of real ones that gets me. It's probably mostly sentimental since that's what I grew up with. But, I'll definitely be scouting out the after Christmas sales this year for my first fake one. I don't imagine the real thing is going to be an option in Benin...
ReplyDeleteYours is looking good!
You are so smart to have a fake tree - people pay oodles and oodles of money for them all over the world!
ReplyDeleteLove the photo! Gorgeous baby girl!
I just love seeing all of the trees folks have put up...we are real tree folks for now, but may do fake w/LED when we (hopefully) go overseas again.
ReplyDeleteIt's Friday and that means the weekly Blog Round-Up is here, and you're on it:
ReplyDeletehttp://webtexans.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/many-joyous-celebrations/
If you'd like me to remove the link, let me know.