Christmas tree up

When I was a kid, we always had a real Christmas tree. We either went to the woods to cut one down or bought one from the grocery store. My husband always had a fake tree... in fact, right now in his parents living room is the same tree he grew up with. It looks pretty well the same as it did forty years ago when it was first put up.

About ten years ago, when we first started putting up a tree, we went to Canadian tire and bought a fake tree. We called it the "Chinese Pine", as it was made in China and was a coniferous tree (actually, it looks more like a spruce, but whatever). And every year, I would say, next year we are going to get a real tree. And for whatever reason we never would... time and busyness were the major factors.

This year, however, I insisted we get a real tree, which we bought from the grocery store. It looks great, smells great, and memories from my childhood are flooding back.

The tree, though, did not arrive until an (unresolved) discussion about the environmental effects of the Christmas tree industry. I think it is good: trees planted and then used, the tree then mulched or used for some positive environmental project. My husband, though, suggests that using the same tree year after year is better for the environment.....as it is in your basement, no tree is cut down, and it looks like a Christmas tree.

Perhaps the difference is whether the tree has been purchased or not...

Anyway, our compromise: one year a real tree, the next the Chinese pine. Here we are, creating our own Christmas tradition.