We have a tradition in the Holmes household. We cut down our own Christmas tree which we decorate while listening to Christmas music and feasting on Chinese takeout. It's the same every year. My middle daughter has informed me that it is her favorite part of Christmas.
Picking out a good tree from a Christmas tree farm is kind of an art. If you are too picky you can easily find yourself 200 yards away from the truck once you find the perfect tree. That smug grin of satisfaction can quickly be replaced with, "What was I thinking?" on the long journey back. Nevertheless, it is a fun tradition that my girls look forward to every year.
Well, yesterday was the big Christmas tree day for us, and I have to tell ya - it was a bit of a let down. Christmas tree farms are becoming more and more rare, we are coming to find out. The one that we have gone to for the last 2 years is no longer selling trees. The state will now be using that land to widen a highway. It's too bad because it was really the only decent tree farm around here.
So... we went to Wal Mart.
Which is totally not the same.
All the trees were still wrapped up. Have you ever seen those trucks hauling Christmas trees - and they are all wrapped up tight? They look like closed patio umbrellas. It's kind of hard to pick out a good one.
They were all short, too - which was disappointing.
So, we bought one of those trees and brought it home. I cut the rope which was binding it tight, and... nothing happened. It stayed in the same shape. I brought it inside and stuck it in the tree stand. It was really sad. The widest part of the tree was about 12 inches in diameter. No kidding. "I think we are going to have too many ornaments" one of my daughters tells me.
It took a while for the tree to plump up. It looks ok now. It's a little short for our taste - but it's not too bad.
The Chinese food was excellent, though. So, all was not lost.
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2 comments:
You need to go Kansan all the way and (unless you're allergic to cedar) cut down one of the many beautiful junipers that line the highways and byways. We sometimes scavenge one from the railroad's "no man's land" and sometimes ask a local farmer/landowner if we can help them get rid of the trees that (since the land isn't being grazed) are kind of taking over the prairie. If you like cedar you'll be hooked once you try this. The aroma is wonderful, and you're doing the landscape a favor--sometimes even for free. There's my unsolicited advice :)!
P. S. I know it's weird to potentially be sharing my email address far and wide. I haven't figured out the whole google identity thing yet. Oh well.
I'm glad you've at least been able to maintain the Chinese food tradition. Where do you find good Chinese around there - Newton? We'll be sending you one more ornament to add to the tree, by the way.
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