Bringing in the Tree
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Selecting and cutting our own Christmas tree is by far a richer experience than simply choosing one from a lot. Our tree this year carries with it the memories of a bright and chilly first day of December, laughter in the field as we set out on our search, the neighs of the horses in a pasture nearby, and whiffs of fresh fir catching our cold noses as the tree was sawed from its roots. A complimentary cup of hot apple cider afterwards completed the full sensory experience.There is always a part of me that is saddened when a tree is cut, but taken inside, we honor and adorn this tree with cherished ornaments that remind us of the places, events, and most importantly, the people, in our now and past. It's a celebration of life on so many levels really.
We chose our tree from Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Maryland, a local farm that will surely beckon me back in the warmer months for its pick-your-own blueberries and strawberries. But for now, we turn inward and enjoy all the good things that are ushered in with December.
6 Comments:
That is a wonderful tradition! We heat with a wood stove, so we aren't able to have a real tree....
I miss the smell of a real tree!
Enjoy your tree..look forward to seeing it decorated!
Cat
What kind of tree is it? Back when I lived in New York City we always got triple needle balsams, which made the house smell like Christmas. Down here they don't seem to sell them, so we get Frasier firs. Some folks I know get blue spruce, and one family with a fairly large spread of land cuts a cypress. I still miss the smell of balsam...
somehow my previous comment disappeard like magic :)
To summarize, thanks for sharing your lovely tradition. We haven't done this for about 6 or 7 years yet I can vividly recall the rosy cheeks, the exhilaration, excitement, and ultimately that wonderul aroma in the house when we brought the tree indoors!
Thank you,
Diane, Sand to Glass
How fun that must be. I have never done this or will because my wife is allergic.
My kids on the other hand will get to experience this with my Mom and Dad this weekend.
This one is a Douglas Fir. It smells wonderful. In the past we got Frasier firs. I'm curious to see how this one will hold up. I hope it doesn't get too dry by Christmas. We got the festivities started a little early this year. :-)
Diane, do you mean you left a comment and then it got deleted or something? I wonder if it's a Blogger issue again. I've heard that some folks without Blogger/Google accounts sometimes can't leave comments at all. Sorry about that. I've considered switching to another blog service. But I don't want to start over completely...
I appreciate your comments. Every one!
Christa, I have a blogger account and a Google account but I have all kinds of problems with Blogger when I read other people's blogs -- actually when I try to comment to be more correct. But _most_ of the time I keep trying ... every once in a while it takes way too long to try multiple times so I move along. I too was thinking of moving to another blog company (did register) but I realized I'd lose all the fine people who have begun to come and visit regularly and I now don't know who all has linked to me so I'd lose them too (sad) ... anyway, your tree sounds truly wonderful! I look forward to coming back and reading more!
Cheers,
Diane (apologies for this long explanation!)
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