Every November, right after Thanksgiving, I start dreaming. I dream not of a White Christmas, but of Christmas music. I love the songs of Christmas and the history of them too. Every year for about four weeks in late November and during all of December I am content to listen to the songs of Christmas as much as humanly possible, on my car radio (there are many "all Christmas music" stations to choose from), my computer, in elevators, at shopping malls, in TV shows, wherever it's played (which is practically everywhere)....and it is ubiquitous. And oddly enough, the musical melodies and lyrics of Christmas is good stuff. It can hold its won musically with just about any music format.
The music of Christmas helps define the holiday itself and more importantly, it helps us to retrieve memories of our Christmas past through timeless lyrics and melodies that take us back to when we remember hearing it, perhaps for the first time. Christmas Music is the long lost friend who returns for a visit and enchants us while here. It calms us, stirs our imagination and sense of anticipation, even inspires us to live out the ideals embedded in the holiday itself.
It's impossible to list every Christmas song that we enjoy because there are so many. They come from every era and of every persuasion, be it religious, lay, silly or somber. So much of the religious and somber Christmas music came from the 19th century. That was the time when churches were the center of life, including musical lives. That style endures because the songs still inspire us and set ideals for us to achieve. Humans never stop needing ideals. Perhaps 'Silent Knight' best typifies those 19th century Christmas tunes. It tells us that we can't let those songs disappear because they have become a part of our humanity that is too important to forget.
In the 20th century Christmas music turned more buoyant and commercial. But it is lively and fun...like the favorite 'Jingle Bells'. The songs of that era prove that it doesn't matter what is one's religious persuasion when enjoying Christmas songs is the subject. Most people can recite and hum the Christmas carols they've heard repeatedly since childhood. We all try to sing them, both in and out of the shower, because they just make us feel better about ourselves, and the world around us.
Since the second half of the 20th century writers have turned to composing silly songs for Christmas. From 'Grandma Got Run over By A Reindeer' to The Chipmunks crooning what that star munk Alvin almost destroys when singing with his mates to Jimmy Boyd's classic 'All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth'. Those modern novelty songs remind us that Christmas is supposed to be fun and filled with giggles.
If we allow it, Christmas music does it all. No need to be a Grinch and declare that Christmas singing is corny or "for kids and old folks". If you have an imagination and want to be instantly transported to wonderland, tune into those Christmas tunes while they are still being played and jingle all the way with them
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Forbidden Holiday Foods
Cheese straws, Swedish meatballs, eggnog, stuffed potatoes, creamed spinach, pot roast, fruitcake, and pecan pie were listed by the New England Journal of Medicine as the worst 8 holiday foods to eat, Supposedly they all have too much fat and calories and make the holiday celebrant gain weight. So the journal lists "alternatives" to each. Most of those involve the so called "low fat" and "healthy" foods that substitute the good tasting ingredients with awful tasting healthy ones. Ugh! Health food makes me sick.
Don't the "eat healthy at the holidays" people understand that nutrition for the soul at holiday time means eating the good tasting and fun "junk", not their version of what is good for the body. Holidays are short in duration and NOT about healthy bodies (look at fat Santa for proof). Eating the good stuff for a few weeks won't harm anyone physically, but not eating the fun foods will harm the soul through deprivation. It could turn the fruitcake or eggnog deprived celebrant into a scrooge.
The Christmas and New Year celebrations are not about routines, health and self disciplined. They are a catharsis for us in that we can do all the things that we keep ourselves from doing all year long out of fear of the food police and other "nay-sayers". I wish the health nuts would eat in isolation at holiday time so they won't infect us with their notions of healthy foods.
Are not some of our best memories of past holidays the delicious forbidden foods we ate then? How could anyone idealize and memorialize broccoli and asparagus as a treasured holiday memory. It isn't possible. Why spoil the holidays with tasteless foods when a Chocolate butter cream, filled yule log can be so easily had. When sitting around a fireplace at Christmas would you rather have a cup of hot chocolate and a gingerbread cookie or a cup of skim milk and a no fat granola bar? If you choose the latter no need to continue reading this diatribe. You are already a prisoner of the healthy food police.
And who wants to cook Brussels sprouts during holiday time? Not I! It does nothing for my spirit because it isn't special or "unhealthily good tasting". But when I make a fruitcake or gingerbread muffins, maybe my Christmas cheesecake or holiday decorated sugar cookies I get a lift of enthusiasm and feel bonded to the holidays. It's equivalent to decorating the Christmas tree. How can anyone be sullen when doing that or eating a Santa cookie?
As far as I am concerned, those health nuts and their no fat recipes can all fly to the North Pole. I am going to the kitchen for a glass of pumpkin eggnog and to cut myself a big piece of fruitcake.
Don't the "eat healthy at the holidays" people understand that nutrition for the soul at holiday time means eating the good tasting and fun "junk", not their version of what is good for the body. Holidays are short in duration and NOT about healthy bodies (look at fat Santa for proof). Eating the good stuff for a few weeks won't harm anyone physically, but not eating the fun foods will harm the soul through deprivation. It could turn the fruitcake or eggnog deprived celebrant into a scrooge.
The Christmas and New Year celebrations are not about routines, health and self disciplined. They are a catharsis for us in that we can do all the things that we keep ourselves from doing all year long out of fear of the food police and other "nay-sayers". I wish the health nuts would eat in isolation at holiday time so they won't infect us with their notions of healthy foods.
Are not some of our best memories of past holidays the delicious forbidden foods we ate then? How could anyone idealize and memorialize broccoli and asparagus as a treasured holiday memory. It isn't possible. Why spoil the holidays with tasteless foods when a Chocolate butter cream, filled yule log can be so easily had. When sitting around a fireplace at Christmas would you rather have a cup of hot chocolate and a gingerbread cookie or a cup of skim milk and a no fat granola bar? If you choose the latter no need to continue reading this diatribe. You are already a prisoner of the healthy food police.
And who wants to cook Brussels sprouts during holiday time? Not I! It does nothing for my spirit because it isn't special or "unhealthily good tasting". But when I make a fruitcake or gingerbread muffins, maybe my Christmas cheesecake or holiday decorated sugar cookies I get a lift of enthusiasm and feel bonded to the holidays. It's equivalent to decorating the Christmas tree. How can anyone be sullen when doing that or eating a Santa cookie?
As far as I am concerned, those health nuts and their no fat recipes can all fly to the North Pole. I am going to the kitchen for a glass of pumpkin eggnog and to cut myself a big piece of fruitcake.
Santa Clause Letters
I'm beginning to look allot like Santa now, not by force of will but rather by nature. But I guess getting old is not as bad if we turn into a Santa. So today I will play Santa reading his mail. There is so much of it and some from celebrities who want something. Sigh..but only little boys and girls are unselfish enough to ask for things that serve all mankind well. The rest of them are out for the big buck items. Here are a few of the letters Santa has gotten this Christmas season as well as Santa's replies.Dear Santa,I am 13 years old now and the typical teen boy. What I want for Christmas is to be 20 years old, anything but a teen. I treat my parents like servants and rarely speak to them, lust for anything in a skirt, and have pimples and acne the size of China. Help meeeeeeeeeeee.Tommy.Dear Tommy,I'll see if I can find your parents servant outfits, put Lindsay Lohan under your Xmas tree and leave a giant size acne cream in your stocking. Good luck on making it to 20. You'll need it. what a pathetic creature you are. H Ho Ho=====================================================================Dear Santa,Those blonde Barbie girls you sent me this year have given me a pain and threatened my career and marriage. My wife chased me out of the house with a golf club and beat me with it when I tried to escape in the car. It seems she tapped my cell phone and found some of the messages I left to my babes. Can you take back all those Barbies and make people forget what happened?Your golfing pal,Tiger WoodsDear Tiger,Forget it. Just keep your pants on this year and listen to the new CD I am leaving under your Xmas tree..."I Saw Mommy Kissing Tiger Woods".============================================================================Dear Santa,Last year you made me God, and I appreciate it. They voted me the first black President, and because I am a minority everyone is afraid to criticize my many errors as president. Thanks Santa. But this Christmas I want substance to go with my style. Eventually, the voters will expect me to fulfill some of the promises I made and haven't kept. There patience is beginning to wear thin and that Nobel Peace prize you arranged for me is a joke, given I have done nothing to merit it. Please, Santa, make me earn some of the praise I get this year. Perhaps an adviser might help. Do you have an available elf who knows politics and can help?Barrack ObamaDear Barrack,Forget it! I am not sending any of my innocent elves to any politician. However, Sarah Palin is available if you would like her under your tree.===================================================================================Dear Santa,I'll get right to the point! I need plenty of heat. This past 18 months have been rather cool and it's not fitting my phony agenda to shiver this way. Hurry, Santa! My reputation depends on it.Al GoreDear Al,You whined so much about making it seem that Global Warming was happening the past few years I made the climate temporarily warmer so you could claim the earth was getting hotter. Now you want me to cool it because more and more realize that Global Warming is a crock. Sigh.... Can't you make up your mind? Ok, I am going to keep cooling the earth (I like the snow more anyway) so you can pretend the next ice age is coming...by the way, Al, when are you going to get a real job?Globally Cooled Santa
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Forget recessions that cause you to spend less for gifts this holiday season, Christmas is the time for gifts...err...for your favorite pet. Yep, Fido is expecting an Xmas gift this year. At least that is what one would believe when the sales of pet Xmas gifts are tabulated.
Here is a trendy top 10 gift picks list for pets this year:
* PAW- That would be the Positioning Animals Worldwide collar mounted GPS device, a device especially for dogs who love to roam. This idiotic, expensive device is tied to (what else?) the dog owner's cell phone to ring an alert when Fido makes an escape.
* The Drinkwell Pet Fountain- Believe it or not, this is a water fountain designed for cats! Veterinarians say cats need plenty of water, so a water fountain is..oh..it's just stupid! If I had a cat who wouldn't drink out of a water bowl I would tell him to pack his bags and move out....preferably to a water front lot.
* Pet Breed Detection kit- This is a kit (it has an oral swab for detection) used by the owner to test the pet's DNA in order to find out if four legged creature is of pure or mixed breed. And why is that important to know? I have no idea. But perhaps it might make it easier for Fido to join a country club if his good breeding is verified.
* Donate in Fido's name- Some owners dedicate money to causes, human or animal, in Fido's name. Why not donate in the owner's name instead? Perhaps Fido's feelings will be hurt if he is seen as a stingy Scrooge Canine.
* Micro chipped Pet Id's- Just what a pet bird or lizard needs...a jeweled studded micro chipped ID tag. It might make him the next bird brained blinged rap artist
* Pet Fur Yarn- I am not sure a cat would like this one as much as the owner (but then all these crazy gifts are really for humans anyway) The owner collects all that cat hair and has the raw stuff prepped and spun into balls of knit table or crochetable yarn. Hehe Want a cat hair sweater for Xmas?
* Pet Books- No, no. These books that are about or centered around animals aren't for the pets to read or be read too. They are for the pet fanatic owners...who probably would benefit greatly also if someone gave them a book on obsessions...about their pets.
* Dremel Toenail Clipper- A rotary toe nail trimmer for the dog or cat? Haha What is the owner supposed to do before trimming the reluctant pet's toenails? Maybe it comes with pet tranquilizers to knock out Fido before the clipping. otherwise, he's not going to cooperate while you attempt to clip.
* The Furminator- It's a grooming tool to help reduce the shedding the pet normally does by removing the undercoat and loose hair. It is said to reduce shedding up to 90%.
Hmmmmmmmmm Heck with the dogs, the smart lady will use one of these on her human honey.
Who says a dog's life is a bad one....Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. I think both the humans and cats have never forgotten this.
Here is a trendy top 10 gift picks list for pets this year:
* PAW- That would be the Positioning Animals Worldwide collar mounted GPS device, a device especially for dogs who love to roam. This idiotic, expensive device is tied to (what else?) the dog owner's cell phone to ring an alert when Fido makes an escape.
* The Drinkwell Pet Fountain- Believe it or not, this is a water fountain designed for cats! Veterinarians say cats need plenty of water, so a water fountain is..oh..it's just stupid! If I had a cat who wouldn't drink out of a water bowl I would tell him to pack his bags and move out....preferably to a water front lot.
* Pet Breed Detection kit- This is a kit (it has an oral swab for detection) used by the owner to test the pet's DNA in order to find out if four legged creature is of pure or mixed breed. And why is that important to know? I have no idea. But perhaps it might make it easier for Fido to join a country club if his good breeding is verified.
* Donate in Fido's name- Some owners dedicate money to causes, human or animal, in Fido's name. Why not donate in the owner's name instead? Perhaps Fido's feelings will be hurt if he is seen as a stingy Scrooge Canine.
* Micro chipped Pet Id's- Just what a pet bird or lizard needs...a jeweled studded micro chipped ID tag. It might make him the next bird brained blinged rap artist
* Pet Fur Yarn- I am not sure a cat would like this one as much as the owner (but then all these crazy gifts are really for humans anyway) The owner collects all that cat hair and has the raw stuff prepped and spun into balls of knit table or crochetable yarn. Hehe Want a cat hair sweater for Xmas?
* Pet Books- No, no. These books that are about or centered around animals aren't for the pets to read or be read too. They are for the pet fanatic owners...who probably would benefit greatly also if someone gave them a book on obsessions...about their pets.
* Dremel Toenail Clipper- A rotary toe nail trimmer for the dog or cat? Haha What is the owner supposed to do before trimming the reluctant pet's toenails? Maybe it comes with pet tranquilizers to knock out Fido before the clipping. otherwise, he's not going to cooperate while you attempt to clip.
* The Furminator- It's a grooming tool to help reduce the shedding the pet normally does by removing the undercoat and loose hair. It is said to reduce shedding up to 90%.
Hmmmmmmmmm Heck with the dogs, the smart lady will use one of these on her human honey.
Who says a dog's life is a bad one....Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. I think both the humans and cats have never forgotten this.
Gingerbread
In one of his less famed plays, William Shakespeare wrote, "And I had but one penny in the world, thou should'st have it to buy gingerbread." I am not sure I would spend my last coin on a gingerbread sweet, but it might not be a great mistake if I did. Gingerbread, the food most identified with our modern Christmas is something I and many others crave at Christmas time. Yes, I've already had a few gingerbread cookies. I like the thin ones with plenty of ginger inside.
First, some history of gingerbread foods that I researched. An early form of gingerbread can be traced to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who used it for ceremonial purposes. I suppose the strong odor and the fact that ginger is a preservative in food made it appropriate for that. Supposedly, gingerbread made its earliest an appearance in Europe when 11th-century crusaders brought the spice back from the Middle East for the wealthy family cooks to experiment with. Thank goodness they did.
As ginger became more affordable to the common people, gingerbread sweets caught on. Early European recipes mostly consisted of ground almonds, stale bread crumbs, rose water, sugar and, naturally, ginger. Take out the rose water and add some eggs and it's close to what we use today in making gingerbread. When the cookies were baked bore the likeness of new kings, emperors and queens, or religious symbols. In a sense they told stories of hat was going on in the kingdoms. The finished cookie might be decorated with edible gold paint (for those who could afford it) or flat white icing to bring out the details in relief.
Later in England, the bread crumbs were replaced with flour and eggs were added to soften the gingerbread.. But many people today still use stale bread crumbs when making gingerbread. And finally, the Germans made gingerbread a passion and art. They also created the gingerbread house that we love today and tied it to Christmas. I always look in my local store for lebkuchen (the soft gingerbread cookie) from Germany and those thin, crispy pierniczki from Poland.
I know you might hate gingerbread. Some people don't even like the smell, but that is a minority point of view. My preference for ginger is in sweet foods, not entrees. I think it is because my earliest childhood memories of Christmas foods include some ginger based sweet. We tend to most like the foods we ate and enjoyed in childhood. My favorite Christmas sweets besides gingerbread include fruitcakes, peppermint candy canes and mints, decorated Christmas sugar cookies, buche du noel logs, Stollen cake, Panettone My least favorite Christmas sweets include eggnog, plum pudding, wassail, and mince pie. naturally, I ate most of the favorites often in childhood and had little contact then with the least favorites.
I hope this has stirred your Christmas sweet tooth a little and you'll either head for the nearest kitchen to make something sweet and Christmasy or buy an eat an already made Christmas sweet a favorite. Ho Ho Ho
First, some history of gingerbread foods that I researched. An early form of gingerbread can be traced to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who used it for ceremonial purposes. I suppose the strong odor and the fact that ginger is a preservative in food made it appropriate for that. Supposedly, gingerbread made its earliest an appearance in Europe when 11th-century crusaders brought the spice back from the Middle East for the wealthy family cooks to experiment with. Thank goodness they did.
As ginger became more affordable to the common people, gingerbread sweets caught on. Early European recipes mostly consisted of ground almonds, stale bread crumbs, rose water, sugar and, naturally, ginger. Take out the rose water and add some eggs and it's close to what we use today in making gingerbread. When the cookies were baked bore the likeness of new kings, emperors and queens, or religious symbols. In a sense they told stories of hat was going on in the kingdoms. The finished cookie might be decorated with edible gold paint (for those who could afford it) or flat white icing to bring out the details in relief.
Later in England, the bread crumbs were replaced with flour and eggs were added to soften the gingerbread.. But many people today still use stale bread crumbs when making gingerbread. And finally, the Germans made gingerbread a passion and art. They also created the gingerbread house that we love today and tied it to Christmas. I always look in my local store for lebkuchen (the soft gingerbread cookie) from Germany and those thin, crispy pierniczki from Poland.
I know you might hate gingerbread. Some people don't even like the smell, but that is a minority point of view. My preference for ginger is in sweet foods, not entrees. I think it is because my earliest childhood memories of Christmas foods include some ginger based sweet. We tend to most like the foods we ate and enjoyed in childhood. My favorite Christmas sweets besides gingerbread include fruitcakes, peppermint candy canes and mints, decorated Christmas sugar cookies, buche du noel logs, Stollen cake, Panettone My least favorite Christmas sweets include eggnog, plum pudding, wassail, and mince pie. naturally, I ate most of the favorites often in childhood and had little contact then with the least favorites.
I hope this has stirred your Christmas sweet tooth a little and you'll either head for the nearest kitchen to make something sweet and Christmasy or buy an eat an already made Christmas sweet a favorite. Ho Ho Ho
Monday, December 21, 2009
War On Christmas
I just glanced at an article in a newspaper that analyzed the so called "War on Christmas". Many people today, in reaction to politically correctness that says references to Christmas must be replaced by "holiday themes" because Christmas is a Christian celebration, support the use of Christmas symbols and traditions and frown on any attempt to ban references to the holiday. That's the alleged "battle'. It seems silly to me that a court or government body would legislate in any way about Christmas. It's a private matter, a mostly secular celebration now and not something that governments should spend time regulating. Most people will express themselves the way they want, so I think trying to legislate expression is a futile attempt.
Why are some non Christians opposed to Christmas holiday symbols beign shown publically? Is it insecurity that their own religious holidays gets smaller notice in thsi culture? Are they really offended by Christmas rituals? In the U.S. courts have long ruled that no particular religion may be promoted by the government ahead of the others. But is placing a Christmas decoration with images of Christianity in a public venue really offensive? Some non Christian religious groups even try to ban Christmas carolers because some of their songs are religious oriented. Perhaps they are confusing tradition with religious proselytizing. Americans are in a war that pits the politically correct against Christmas carolers, some say. They say it's a battle that plays out in the halls of Congress, retail stores and public schools across the country, and it's one that's been raging for years. In truth, I don't see much decline in the number of public "religious based' Christmas activity. It might be a small battle rather than a war.
Those who say "ENOUGH" with attempts to secularize all public Christmas activity believe that if there is not closure to this continuous change in what the government and courts allow for Christmas, then soon it will almost be a completely different event from what we see today, and in the process we would lose the whole emphasis of what the very early beginning of Christmas was all about. Christmas would go from the Christmas spirit to the "holiday" spirit ,and that is a far broader celebration which would would destroy the many unique aspects of Christmas. Are some schools and businesses going too far to "censor" Christmas because they don't know the laws or are overzealous and oversensitive?
Too, why should a society by necessity include other religious traditions in its holiday? Is it necessary to inject Hanukkah or Kwanza into Christmas? War on Christmas? Ho Ho Ho. Maybe there is no such thing at all. For most followers, is the Christmas holiday simply one of the best marketing tools ever invented and no longer religious based? Christmas probably not going to go anywhere anytime soon and as logn as hey don't hide Santa I am ok with it.
Why are some non Christians opposed to Christmas holiday symbols beign shown publically? Is it insecurity that their own religious holidays gets smaller notice in thsi culture? Are they really offended by Christmas rituals? In the U.S. courts have long ruled that no particular religion may be promoted by the government ahead of the others. But is placing a Christmas decoration with images of Christianity in a public venue really offensive? Some non Christian religious groups even try to ban Christmas carolers because some of their songs are religious oriented. Perhaps they are confusing tradition with religious proselytizing. Americans are in a war that pits the politically correct against Christmas carolers, some say. They say it's a battle that plays out in the halls of Congress, retail stores and public schools across the country, and it's one that's been raging for years. In truth, I don't see much decline in the number of public "religious based' Christmas activity. It might be a small battle rather than a war.
Those who say "ENOUGH" with attempts to secularize all public Christmas activity believe that if there is not closure to this continuous change in what the government and courts allow for Christmas, then soon it will almost be a completely different event from what we see today, and in the process we would lose the whole emphasis of what the very early beginning of Christmas was all about. Christmas would go from the Christmas spirit to the "holiday" spirit ,and that is a far broader celebration which would would destroy the many unique aspects of Christmas. Are some schools and businesses going too far to "censor" Christmas because they don't know the laws or are overzealous and oversensitive?
Too, why should a society by necessity include other religious traditions in its holiday? Is it necessary to inject Hanukkah or Kwanza into Christmas? War on Christmas? Ho Ho Ho. Maybe there is no such thing at all. For most followers, is the Christmas holiday simply one of the best marketing tools ever invented and no longer religious based? Christmas probably not going to go anywhere anytime soon and as logn as hey don't hide Santa I am ok with it.
Christmas Tree Rentals
The environmental greeners are at it again. They are renting Christmas trees this again year in many U.S. cities to help "save the environment" again. They seem to save the environment allot, but I wish they would first try to save their own sanity and come to some sense of reason. I have doubts they could even accomplish that.First...about the claim that using fake trees is more environmentally sound...Artificial trees are manufactured using a polyvinyl chloride (or PVC), which is a petroleum derived plastic. The raw material for fake Christmas trees is both non-renewable and polluting. The artificial tree results in the unhealthy emission of a number of carcinogens, such as dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. So don't tell me you are a planet saver when you use a fake tree!
Renting out live Xmas trees, picking them up after the holiday and replanting is supposed to stop the waste in cutting down the trees (even though the trees are farmed and replaced with new seedlings every year, resulting in no net loss of trees). The good thing about renting a live Xmas tree is that the cost is that on average only about 20% higher than buying a cut tree that must be discarded after Xmas. Also, there is no mess with needles when using alive tree. I once had a live Christmas tree, a smaller one that I bought, and I planted it in my backyard after Christmas. But the heat and humidity of New Orleans eventually killed it.
Those artificial trees are not my style. I never had one and plan to never ever have a fake tree. Christmas trees are the most important Christmas decorations in the home, so why put an aluminum tree there? And shopping for a real tree each year is fun. I hate the idea of not having that job at Christmas. I even like hauling it home and setting the real tree in the Xmas stand. It is always hard to get the tree straight and most often there are imperfections. But there is a sense of personal investment a real tree gives that is absent with artificial ones. And no smells come from a fake tree! What better than the fresh smell of a real tree or even the decaying one if it eventually 'goes bad' before New Years Day.
So I like the real tree and the growing use of live potted trees that can be rented or bought and replanted. Don't tell me artificial trees are better. The next thing you'd probably say is that Santa is a fake too. Bah Humbug to that!
Renting out live Xmas trees, picking them up after the holiday and replanting is supposed to stop the waste in cutting down the trees (even though the trees are farmed and replaced with new seedlings every year, resulting in no net loss of trees). The good thing about renting a live Xmas tree is that the cost is that on average only about 20% higher than buying a cut tree that must be discarded after Xmas. Also, there is no mess with needles when using alive tree. I once had a live Christmas tree, a smaller one that I bought, and I planted it in my backyard after Christmas. But the heat and humidity of New Orleans eventually killed it.
Those artificial trees are not my style. I never had one and plan to never ever have a fake tree. Christmas trees are the most important Christmas decorations in the home, so why put an aluminum tree there? And shopping for a real tree each year is fun. I hate the idea of not having that job at Christmas. I even like hauling it home and setting the real tree in the Xmas stand. It is always hard to get the tree straight and most often there are imperfections. But there is a sense of personal investment a real tree gives that is absent with artificial ones. And no smells come from a fake tree! What better than the fresh smell of a real tree or even the decaying one if it eventually 'goes bad' before New Years Day.
So I like the real tree and the growing use of live potted trees that can be rented or bought and replanted. Don't tell me artificial trees are better. The next thing you'd probably say is that Santa is a fake too. Bah Humbug to that!
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