(no subject)

[gwywnnydd]

I've had a moment of outlook shift.
My favorite part of the Winter holidays is the tree. Decorating it, watching the lights, smelling it for weeks. The smell is what makes the holiday, for me.
But this year, I've realized something pretty disturbing. I found myself musing on the significance of the tree while decorating it this year, and realized that what I've been doing all these years is taking something that I venerate, killing it, and then decorating the corpse.
Ugh.
I think I'll be avoiding having a tree in future years, until I can have a place to plant a live tree. I've always wanted to have the christmas tree be live, then plant it after the holidays. I think that's going to happen. When I have a place to plant them.
[ooh, sudden thought, levin_marks and petit_souris lost some trees in the big wondstorm a bit back. I could offer to help them replant . . .]
Or, I could rethink my stance on artificial trees (vile monstrosities) and invest in scented room sprays.

Comments

[artemis0827.livejournal.com]

I went through the same thing a several years ago (and, yes, tried the fake tree too) and now refuse to do anything but a live tree. The last few years it has been some sort of fir or pine, planted afterward at my father's house in Bothell. He would be more than happy to take your tree to plant as well. There is also ascaroth and Sheli and many others. In other words, there are a lot of people who would take a live tree to plant in their yard.

Something I tried this year is a Rosemary plant shaped like a tree. They are hard to grow, I hear, but I'll try to keep it alive for use again next year (and for cooking!)

Also, there are a lot more miniature ornaments being sold that work well with the really small trees.

Anyway, it all depends on what you want your tree to look like...there are many places for it after the holidays. :-)

[burgunder.livejournal.com]

Vaguely related - mostly via the Kim-Synapse-Network - I was very interested in hearing the Mormon take on wearing crosses or crucifixes. They're against it. When I asked why, they said, "If someone you loved was killed by a gun, would you wear a guy on a chain around your neck?"

I definitely understand the symbology of the cross, but it was an interesting perspective.

I was just watching Totoro, on loan from staxxy, and the father at one point says, "We were once best friends with trees." The past tense nature of the sentence makes me kind of sad, but living in the center of urbana, I've lost some of my former connection with trees. Need to spend some more time in the local parks and walking through the neighborhoods with more trees.

[petit-souris.livejournal.com]

Thank you for thinking of us My Sweet Karyn. That really touched me that you would share your trees to plant in a garden where Connor will play when visiting Unca Rich and Auntie Wyn.**beams** Something to think about is that the tree is sacrificing itself much like the steak on your plate and the potato next to it. It's how the sacrifice is regarded that makes the difference. A neat tradition our family took part in for some time is that the bottom part of your tree becomes the yule log for next year. You stick your
wishes on it and make it an honored part of 2 holidays. Food for thought and there is no right way to do it just what is in your heart. **warm eyed smiles**
P_S