Real or not?
For the second year, we are having a debate about whether or not we should get an artificial tree. We stuck our toe in the water last year by buying artificial garlands to hang over the dining room sliding glass doors (and liked them well enough that we never took them down all year, sigh--a sort of indoor echo of the chrismas lights on the front porch).
The advantages would be that we could put our tree up anytime, which would probably mean we got it up earlier in the month and could enjoy it longer. We wouldn't have to do it together (it's hard for us this busy time of year to find a night when we can both go to get the live tree). It would be less of a fire hazard. We wouldn't have to worry about water spilling on the floor. We could have a bigger tree than I am willing to pay for with a live tree. We wouldn't have to struggle with the lighting (though we also wouldn't have the whole assortment of different kinds of lights we have on our tree now). I wouldn't have to saw it in thirds and get it jammed into the green waste can on a specific garbage pickup week.
The drawbacks are that it would be one more big thing to take up room in our little garage. It wouldn't feel as magical as the live tree feels to me. It wouldn't smell as nice. It wouldn't have our funky mix of lights (the inside of the tree has big traditional lights in colors and clear, including some that blink; the outside of the tree has white and colored mini lights). I am afraid of making a mistake buying such an expensive item I don't know anything about. What happens when some of the lights burn out? I love the thought when I put up the tree that I am following a spiritual tradition that is thousands of years old. I don't know if an artificial tree would have that same feeling. It would be converting one more biodegradeable thing into a plastic thing that will eventually stay in a landfill for hundreds of years.
So there I am, still stuck on the question. . . I know many of you have artificial trees--what do you think?
Much love, Sandra
The advantages would be that we could put our tree up anytime, which would probably mean we got it up earlier in the month and could enjoy it longer. We wouldn't have to do it together (it's hard for us this busy time of year to find a night when we can both go to get the live tree). It would be less of a fire hazard. We wouldn't have to worry about water spilling on the floor. We could have a bigger tree than I am willing to pay for with a live tree. We wouldn't have to struggle with the lighting (though we also wouldn't have the whole assortment of different kinds of lights we have on our tree now). I wouldn't have to saw it in thirds and get it jammed into the green waste can on a specific garbage pickup week.
The drawbacks are that it would be one more big thing to take up room in our little garage. It wouldn't feel as magical as the live tree feels to me. It wouldn't smell as nice. It wouldn't have our funky mix of lights (the inside of the tree has big traditional lights in colors and clear, including some that blink; the outside of the tree has white and colored mini lights). I am afraid of making a mistake buying such an expensive item I don't know anything about. What happens when some of the lights burn out? I love the thought when I put up the tree that I am following a spiritual tradition that is thousands of years old. I don't know if an artificial tree would have that same feeling. It would be converting one more biodegradeable thing into a plastic thing that will eventually stay in a landfill for hundreds of years.
So there I am, still stuck on the question. . . I know many of you have artificial trees--what do you think?
Much love, Sandra
posted by jed-laura | 11:07 AM
2 Comments:
I know that we went out and cut a tree for Nicole's parents this weekend. We didn't hike half as far this year, but it was still a lot of fun! We actually found a very good looking tree. It almost made me wish that we had a real tree for our little apartment.
Love - Paul
Sandra, We have an artificial tree, it is such a time saver. No watering or needles to clean up. We paid less for our tree than we could buy a green tree for, it is very pretty. Don't buy one already lit. Just buy a green one, and use your present lights on it. no problem at all.Lasts forever, no landfill to worry about. Doesn't take up much room, just a box in the attic. Happy Holidays, love Brian
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