No Christmas counterfeits for this gardener
It sounds horrible, but the fakes are taking over Christmas.
I’m talking about the way artificial trees are creeping their
way into our living rooms. Not just plastic trees, but artificial
wreaths and swags, plus silk poinsettias that look so real you’d
want to bring out the watering can.
No Christmas counterfeits for this gardener
It sounds horrible, but the fakes are taking over Christmas.
I’m talking about the way artificial trees are creeping their way into our living rooms. Not just plastic trees, but artificial wreaths and swags, plus silk poinsettias that look so real you’d want to bring out the watering can.
If this is the face of Christmas for the new millennium, I’ll stick with the old millennium, thank you very much.
I’m a traditionalist. Or, maybe a purist. At any rate, for me, a nice green fragrant fresh evergreen spells Christmas. And yet, artificial trees are showing up everywhere complete with pre-lighted decorations and almost-real-looking needles.
Last year 9 million artificial trees were sold, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. Every year the number increases another million or so. And while that number is nowhere near the number of real trees sold (27.1 million real trees), it got me thinking: Would I ever allow one of these plastic fakes in my home.
Nope. Can’t be done.
The reason is because our Christmas tree is all about tradition for our family. Years ago, with a small baby and not much money, we made our first trek into the Santa Cruz mountains to cut a tree. I think it cost $7 at the time and it rained. We loved it.
Every year since then, we’ve packed up a picnic and headed for the same tree farm. Our baby is now a mother with strong teenage sons who happily cut down the tree for their grandmother and haul it to the pay station. We’ve never missed a year. Sometimes it rains, once it snowed, and occasionally the sun shines. Even the picnic menu is a tradition: Shake ‘n Bake chicken, pasta salad, brownies, hot coffee with a dollop of Jim Beam to ward off the cold. We take photos at the same exact spot every year, and those photos mark the passing of time, the enrichment of our tradition.
Can a plastic tree ever begin to compare?
People say they buy the fakes for a variety of reasons. No mess. No need to crawl under the tree and fill the water reservoir with Seven-Up to keep the tree fresh. No needles to clog the vacuum cleaner.
But, still, no fragrance, no mess and no Seven-Up – isn’t that as much as part of a real tree tradition?
Some people think a fake is better for the environment, but this is not actually true. For one thing, a real tree can be recycled whereas a fake tree, with all its plastic and metal parts, is non-biodegradable. When sent to the landfill, that fake tree will last forever and ever and ever.
While searching the Internet for Christmas tree information, I came across an interesting site devoted to feng shui. According to the feng shui writer, a real tree represents the knowledge that spring will come again. The scent of a real tree creates warm, calm, harmonious and comfortable atmosphere. It refreshes and cleans the air. In feng shui-speak, a fake tree brings no energy into the house. It has bad vibrations.
In the South Valley area around Hollister, the foothills and Morgan Hill there are a number of cut-your-own Christmas tree farms. They are family-owned and operated and take great pride in the quality and selection of their trees. Check the newspaper for ads, or simply watch for signs that point to tree farms in the area. The Christmas Tree Association website at www.cachristmas.com lists cut-and-choose farms by county. Sign on to both San Benito and Santa Clara counties. There are also neighborhood Christmas tree lots featuring pre-cut trees and these lots support a number of worthwhile organizations.
Artificial trees are available at craft stores, home improvement centers like Home Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware, and garden supply outlets. The prices hover around $200 for a six-foot tree. The best fake bargain buys take place the week after Christmas as stock is cleared out.
So, as we wind down to Dec. 25 that’s the choice. Real or fake. Tradition or convenience. A recyclable tree or a plastic version in a box. Your kids saying “Oh, that smells so good” or reaching for a spray can of pine scent.
You know my choice. What is yours?
We were fooled by a few weeks of really nice weather. But the winter chill has set in and December will see many frosty nights and freezing temperatures. Cover sensitive plants including citrus and avocado trees, jade plants and other tropicals. Don’t allow plastic or cloth to touch the foliage, as this will increase the likelihood of it freezing.
Check your yard for garden tools left sitting outside. Clean, sharpen and oil garden tools and then stash them indoors in the garage or garden shed. Take care of rough spots on wood handles. Sand them and rub in linseed oil before storing them. Also put away garden pots, bags of potting soil, and fertilizers, all of which can be damaged in the rain.
