Christmas Tree Tradition

I found these guys lounging outside my apartment one night after work last year. It's not a great photo but I had to take it because some creative kid did the best he or she would with limited resources (i.e. not a lot of snowfall).

Besides turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving means that's it acceptable to start decorating for Christmas. Although, hooray for my neighbors who already have a pink tree up and decorated in their window.

I haven't had a live tree in five or six years. It used to be a staple - my family always had a live tree. When I moved out, I went to the tree farm with my parents and picked out my own. Eventually my parents bought a fake tree but then there were boyfriends (one of which is married now and made it his own tradition) to help me pick out trees.

One year I was at a Lowes after Christmas and spotted a skinny fake tree that was the epitome of what I looked for in a live tree every year. And I bought it. I haven't had a live tree since and really don't feel all that guilty about it. I don't have to water it or worry about the mess. It's perfect - no holes or a branches that stick out too far - and, best of all, I never have to water it or worry about the needles it leaves behind. Plus, my cats are much less interested in climbing a fake tree which is a very good thing.

But I'm feeling a pull I haven't felt in a long time. A pull to bundle up and spend a hour hunting for the right tree, to drive home with that smell filling my car and then filling my apartment. I think I want a live tree this year. I think it started back at Fulton Farms in October when I heard a fellow pumpkin picker mention coming back to put a tag on their tree for Christmas. I'd never heard of "tagging" a tree ahead of time and it's probably a lot more pleasant to look for a tree on a mildly chilly day than a downright cold one but...I think part of the charm would be lost.

I'm not exactly committed to the idea yet. I could certainly see myself shrugging off the pull and putting up the fake - I have pine scented candles, after all - but I don't know. We'll see.