Comments on Greenish Thumb: To cut or not to cut?

I really like your christmas tree story. Just to g...

2009-12-10T23:25:25.410-05:00

I really like your christmas tree story. Just to get a pine tree is so difficult & rare in my place and so its easier & more reasonable to settle for a fake one.
Because also for another reason -its tropical & the tree dies within days, and fragrance you might expect would be a rotting one.

Glad that you can cherish are real life one. I often thought of keeping one in a pot and keep it indoors and decorate it for christmas & when its over put it out again. And so I boughta small one, it died within weeks.

If you really like a life tree, would it be easier to keep a potted one and when the season is over and tend it in a garden and re-sue it for the coming years?

I did, and I must say the dad is every bit as cute...

2009-12-10T15:55:37.043-05:00

I did, and I must say the dad is every bit as cute as the kids. For many years my choice has been a living tree. When our property was small, we would use the same tree for several years before planting it in the ground. Now that we have space, the trees go in the spring after holiday duty. It even ramps up the nostalgia factor to have the trees in the landscape as reminders.

Anonymous - did you check out the cute dad?

2009-12-09T12:49:45.689-05:00

Anonymous - did you check out the cute dad?

Fake presents! That's priceless! I'm sure she ha...

2009-12-07T10:28:23.590-05:00

Fake presents! That's priceless! I'm sure she had good intentions.

Cute kids and great sentimental post.

BTW, 'hiding the pickle' is a Germanic tradition, I believe.

Hi wendy, what i specially appreciate and relate t...

2009-12-06T20:47:56.706-05:00

Hi wendy, what i specially appreciate and relate to in this post is the unresolved dilemma ('I still haven't fully reconciled my unease about chopping down a tree'). Pros and cons, greys and greys and greys ... the main thing is that the children are happy. cheers, catmint

I am in the firmly cut category. Growing up we alw...

2009-12-06T09:29:37.358-05:00

I am in the firmly cut category. Growing up we always had a real tree. It was not till I was in my mid twenties that my mother put her foot down and bought a fake, after all, she was the one stepping on needles months later.
We actually stand our tree up outside after Christmas, near the kitchen window and hang suet balls on it. The birds ove it and I can get a real close look at them.

So I'm glad you weren't too badly scarred from you...

2009-12-06T05:45:07.638-05:00

So I'm glad you weren't too badly scarred from your childhood stocking stuffers and 'fake presents' under the tree, Wendy...cute! And, hey! Lyric's sock is MIA in that first photo...we had alot of that..lol! Two years ago, I bought an artificial tree (expensive!!!) and the following year, the lights didn't work! What a hassle to send it back (after the replacement lights didn't work!)...I had to scope out dumpsters for a 'big enough' box..so this year, we are back to the real thing ;)

Enjoyed the girls happy faces~your 2yr. decorates like me...but my eye-level is 5 ft...haha!

Looks like your girls had a great time decorating ...

2009-12-06T00:24:54.356-05:00

Looks like your girls had a great time decorating the tree. Fun post!

I love this story today about your family preparin...

2009-12-05T23:06:49.035-05:00

I love this story today about your family preparing for Christmas. This is the first time that I have heard about the 'hiding pickle' story. Now I know what it is. You have such an adorable family. I guess having a real christmas tree makes the season ever more real and sentimental. Most of the people here use plastic trees because it is not easy to get the real one. In Asia, many non christians celebrate Christmas too. I guess it is the wonderful atmosphere that is present everywhere during this season and New Year is just round the corner.

Thanks ladies. Yes, it makes a lot of sense to us...

2009-12-05T21:06:07.793-05:00

Thanks ladies. Yes, it makes a lot of sense to use an artificial tree when you travel. In fact, I guess that's why we never tried to get a real tree until we were settled down and near my family.

Rosey - I used to get soap on a rope too!! Totally forgot about that. That was in the early days when we'd get good candy, hello kitty stuff, and soap on a rope.

Beautiful kids! Lucky you :-)

2009-12-05T14:14:49.630-05:00

Beautiful kids!
Lucky you :-)

Love your real tree vs artificial tree story. I'v...

2009-12-04T14:16:19.974-05:00

Love your real tree vs artificial tree story. I've always been a real tree person. The only plus to an artificial tree is the option of putting it up earlier and leaving it up longer.

As for the rightness or wrongness of cutting a tree down to put up in your home...well, living in Michigan, we are well aware that this is an industry. Trees are cut and planted to keep an ever rotating supply. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Wendy, Thanks for sharing all those special memori...

2009-12-04T10:41:09.124-05:00

Wendy,
Thanks for sharing all those special memories and photos. Your family is so cute!
We have done the "hiding pickle" tradition as well, this year the tree is too skimpy to hide it anywhere!
It's great to move out and make your own traditions with your own family. I bet you fill your kids stockings with fun stuff. My mom used to put soap on a rope. :)
Rosey

Wendy, my story is the reverse of yours. I grew up...

2009-12-04T09:04:26.545-05:00

Wendy, my story is the reverse of yours. I grew up with real trees but now have an artificial one that I found, forlorn by the side of the road several years ago.I decorate it every year with ornaments that have personal meanings for my husband and me and it looks very cute.
We don't usually spend Christmas at home, so it has not made sense to get a real tree. Maybe someday we'll go back to "real."

Fantastic pictures! I had to LOL - we have a pickl...

2009-12-04T08:47:57.338-05:00

Fantastic pictures! I had to LOL - we have a pickle too, and the same exact thing happens, it gets left on top of a shelf waiting, and gets forgotten. :o)
We bought a fake tree last year, and my husband grumbled the whole time he was putting it up this year. He was raised without Christmas, so I think the excitement of a real tree is important to him.
Good work, creating such fun memories for your kids!

Your lovely daughters really did a good job! The t...

2009-12-04T05:08:38.095-05:00

Your lovely daughters really did a good job! The tree is beautiful. We can only get real ones from Ikea but they have limited stock every year. Thinking along this line, as long as they are still selling real trees then it should be alright to buy one. Moreover they have already chopped the tree so must well bring the tree home he he... I believe that the growers would replace each tree they supplied or even plant more each year. Happy decorating your tree and home for the festive season. I have always enjoyed doing this every year :-D