Written By Alan Good
TRAVEL - No matter your philosophy about cutting down a live tree to drag into your home for Christmas, you can’t deny the aroma of a fresh cut tree around this season. The home fills with the scent of pine and freshness adding to the season’s joy.
Christmas trees bring new life to our environment. During its growing years, your tree has cleaned the air, provided oxygen, secured the soil against erosion, and made a home for wildlife and beautified the land.
According to some sources, a Tannenbaum is a fir tree (die Tanne) or Christmas tree (der Weihnachtsbaum). Although most Christmas trees today are spruce—Fichten rather than Tannen—the qualities of the evergreen have inspired musicians to write several Tannenbaum songs in German over the years.
While some may know where they can score a Tannenbaum on private property, others seek a tree at a local tree farm. My wife and I joined our son and daughter-in-law, with their three little girls, recently, for what they said was a trip worth the effort.
There are several tree farms in our area, we went to Tree Lane Farms. Once parked, friendly staff offered pre-cut and U-cut trees. The vote leaned toward trudging through the snow until we found “the right one”.
Upon getting a majority vote this tree would suffice, my son got down on his knees and dug out the snow before sawing the trunk. Our grandkids thought the process fun and once down, the prize was dragged back to the parking lot. The staff wrapped the tree tightly for storage on top of the van.
Smiles on the faces of girls spoke of the fun of seeing the tree in their living room and decorating it. One could only imagine at that point, presents under the tree Christmas morning as three smiling faces gleefully squeal while opening them. In all, the event proved to provide stimulating exercise in fresh air as well as a great ornament to mark the season.
If you still are not convinced about cutting down a live tree, the tree farm insisted, “for every tree sold, three seedlings are planted in its place”.
Remember to practice safety. Place your tree away from heat sources that could dry the tree, and water daily as a fresh tree containing adequate moisture will not support a flame.
Add gifts and enjoy!
O Christmas Tree,
O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green
delight us!
They are green when
summer days are bright,
They are green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree,
O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green
delight us!
