What are your thoughts on real vs. artificial Christmas trees when considering the well-being of the planet?

Your answer reminded me of meeting a family who grew Christmas trees.  I was so shocked when they told me they harvest the trees and put them into a lake to keep them fresh until Christmas season.  I guess I thought they cut them and loaded them for transport immediately.  I suppose it depends on geography.  

Thanks, Jane. I read an article that said even if you use an artificial tree for 20 years, it will still end up in a landfill eventually, so don't do it. It basically said that buying a real tree from a local tree farm should be thought of like any other crop in the sense that the trees are continually being harvested and replanted. 

I might go that route, if I can find a tree farm that will cut the tree down for me. I don't want one that's been drying out for 2 weeks and I'm certainly not going to try to chop/saw one down myself. For me, that's just asking for a trip to the ER! 

I agree that if you can get a local tree, that's the best route. 

I gave my very nice artificial tree that I'd had for 20+ years to my sister a few years ago. I still have a smaller one, but my current place has pretty high ceilings and I think it looks a bit silly. 

I guess I should get on it if I'm going to put up a tree this year at all! 

Cheers! Happy Wednesday!

My favorite ornaments are those that were passed on to me. I also have ornaments that I once gave to my parents and grandparents that found their way back to me. 

I remember it not quite feeling like Christmas when I lived in the south and it was 70F outside. And all the palm trees with Christmas lights - so funny. I'll bet it's an easy guess that my favorite nativities are living ones complete with donkeys and lambs. :)

Yep, the lights on the palms are a hoot.  I tried the living nativity one year, but we had nowhere left to sit in the living room and the grocery bill was outrageous. 

Lol! 

Good point. I do know you can't put anything in the water to preserve a live tree longer when you have pets. I don't think my dogs would mess with it, but you never know. 

It's better to be careful than hope that your pets will leave the shiny things alone. :)

Yes, pretty much an impossible ask for cats. One of my dogs actually opens gifts on her own. A cute trick, except that she's opened gifts that aren't for her! 

We have an inflatable menorah in the yard that is about the same size as my Christmas tree inside. 

We use a real brass menorah and candles.

Nice. 
We have a small menorah inside but want to get nicer one. 

Do you have Jews in your family?

No. We celebrate Hanukkah because Jesus was a Jew and if He was here, it is what He would be doing. As He did, when He was on the earth. This post was edited by my2cents at December 6, 2023 1:06 PM MST

In my family, like just about everybody else, we’re going to celebrate the birth of a Jewish guy by having a great big ham dinner!  For some reason, very few people ever see the irony.  We’re also going to add more insult by celebrating his birthday about a month or two too late.  He wasn’t born on the 25th of December.

I do see the irony of ham being the traditional meal for both Christmas and Resurrection Day.  I still enjoy my ham though.  
And true, we do not know the day.  And from what I have studied, He was likely born in mid to late Sept. And interestingly if you count back the term of a human pregnancy it comes up to late Dec.  So personally, I celebrate Jesus' conception, when He truly became God with us in the flesh in Dec. This post was edited by my2cents at December 12, 2023 5:49 PM MST

Real Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas!

Love your reply. :)