Friday, November 23, 2007

Paper or Plastic? (so to speak)

Thanks (again) for your support and prayers. I am truly blessed to have friends like you!

Now, I have a silly little poll I'd like to take. Our family is debating whether to get an artificial tree this year, to save time, effort and (in the long run) money. Especially money. But we are divided on this issue. Tradition vs. practicality. I mean, Christmas trees are grown here and sent elsewhere. We can get ANY size, shape, etc, of tree we want at a reasonable price, usually. But, it's still money gone up in smoke every year (we sometimes saw it up and age it for firewood.) Then there's the needles all over the place. An artificial tree MIGHT look o.k. but would it be the same? Does it take a bite out of Christmas, so to speak? Make it less special?

Let me know what you think. I'll take your comments to the table the next time we discuss this issue.

Today we saw the biggest Christmas tree I've ever seen on a flatbed truck, complete with crane and two support vehicles. It was headed into town and I'm sorry we didn't follow it to see it's final destination. It's a small town, I'm sure I'll see it somewhere. I'd hate to vacuum up the needles that fall from THAT one!

3 comments:

Katie said...

We switched to artificial a few years ago, but I hate the thing. It looks so...so...so fake! Imagine that, I know!

This year we are switching back to a real tree. It's not like they go pillaging in the pristine forest, they are all farmed on land that isn't good enough for food crops (that's the case here anyway) Afterwards we take it to the salmon society who takes them to the local creeks to create salmon shelters. Seriously! I'm not exactly sure what a salmon shelter is but it sounds like a good idea :-)

Oh and I don't think you save effort with a fake tree. Every year I bring it up and have to 'fluff' it. You know, straightening branches and repairing damaged ones. I do save time by leaving the lights on the tree and just removing the decorations, but then there is the inevitable tangling and re-arranging.

Whew! I think my comment was longer than your post! And I guess I didn't even give a definitive answer did I? Sorry Kate! Just in a chatty mood I guess :-)

Leingang Family said...

While living in Phoenix we made the switch to fake trees. We just couldn't justify $50 for a real tree that would dry out in a week. Then we just never went back.

I don't feel like we're missing anything. Well except for having to climb under the tree to get water into the stand and sucking up needles for a month into the new year. I do miss the smell and going out to pick our tree, but it isn't any less fun to decorate and doesn't look any less beautiful when the lights are out and the tree is on.

So, in conclusion I guess I am saying that I like our fake trees and in the end I don't think it really matters. :o)

Cat said...

Hey - do as I do when we are staying put over Christmas & have both!

We always had an artificial one in Australia as summer is so hot & the live trees looked pretty haggard - and that's before you even get them home!

Here in NZ though, the Christmas trees are beautiful + the weather a little cooler, so I get to indulge myself & have a real one for the lounge, while letting the kids "go for broke" on the artificial one in the rumpus.

Ah, these are the truly perplexing decisions in life!!