This was one of the questions on a meme I found on a blog tonight...but can't give away the meme just yet because I'm going to post it in a future blog post, but one of the questions was whether you have a real or artificial tree and it reminded me of when I was a child and I first got a glimpse of one of these fake contraptions. I think it was more or less the same reaction I had when I saw a color TV for the first time - completely in awe. Here was a tree you could put up months ahead of Christmas and not worry about it burning your house down before Santa came down the chimney.We never had a fake - err - artifical tree and except for the ones in the department stores, not many members of my family had one either. I'm not sure the reasoning as I've had one for years and years, but I think it has something to do with the smell - that pungent outdoorsy pine smell.
When I got married, I wanted a fake one so bad I could taste it. I didn't want to wait until a week before Christmas to put one up. I didn't care if it smelled or not, I wanted a fake one so I could start decorating early like everyone else.
But no...ex was from the old school and he wanted THE SMELL.
It took many, many years before I finally put my foot down and bought my very first fake Christmas tree. I was working in a department store and I bought the best one they had that every bit of my paycheck would cover. It was BEAUTIFUL.
I brought it home and ex looked at it, turned up his nose and walked away. Because things were heading down that long winding road to splitsville, I thought why make things worse and bought a can of pine spray. Wasn't the same.
But, I didn't care. I put that sucker up the first of December and marveled at the twinkling colored lights - how they twinkled and shone so bright.
I still have that tree and for some odd reason, I can't part with it. That had a lot of memories.
I don't know if I'll ever have a real tree again. The ones in front of Food Lion sure do look pretty, though.
So, what do you prefer? Real or fake?
Even though I'm allergic to real pine/fir trees, I adore real trees, so we have a real one every year. I know why, of course. My biological mother would never allow a real tree in the house, because of the mess. I'll take the mess and the itching (when I have to touch it) any time! Sigh...even when puppies try to eat the lower branches.
ReplyDeleteBrenna
I forgot the itchiness! I remember it now and the sap...man, you wouldn't want to get that stuff on your hands. But they do smell really good. It's been so long since I've seen anyone with one...I'm almost forgetting what they smell like!
ReplyDeleteArtificial. Oh, sure, chopping down a real tree and dragging it home sounds romantic and family oriented, but I'm an old single woman who struggles to put up her artificial tree each year. And I'm kind of allergic to the "real" deal, too.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
You already know my answer. Thanks for stopping by my groovy blog. Please come again!
ReplyDeleteAnd if'n I don't see you beofre hand, have a Merry Christmas!
It's real or nothing for me. The smell's a big part of it. And if we're going to imitate the druids by basically worshipping a decorated tree, we should do it right. Having said that, the size of my living room means 'nothing' is the option I usually choose. Unless I can get one to fit into a hanging basket, there's no room for it.
ReplyDeleteWe always had a real tree and one year we decided to be all "Little house on the Prairie" and cut down our own tree. After the deed was done and packed in the car I cried all the way home because I had killed a living thing just so I could enjoy it for a few weeks and then throw it away. We have had a fake tree ever since.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do like the smell of real trees I've found that I much prefer artificial trees. They are so much easier to take care of and don't create any messes.
ReplyDelete