I must admit that every year I can get away with not doing a tree, I do. Why you ask? Because I don’t like the fake ones, don’t like plastic, and the real ones make me feel guilty. I am one of those that cheerfully says sarcastically. Happy Tree Killing day! So this year, like last year we will be going to my Dads for the holidays and so I thought again I had a solid reason to say no and to just put out the little Charlie Brown tree and decorate the house in other ways. My husband loves big trees though, and so do our children so some years we have had real ones. But not this year I thought! They could enjoy my parents tree.
And then this happened:
A gifted cut tree… I could not claim the frugal card even, it was gifted so of course it had to be decorated. The children had a wonderful time decorating it and it was fun watching them so happy. The tree is sharing the dinning room with the table, it works. And the kids of course asked to sleep under the table bear the tree tonight. -sigh- I couldn’t find a good reason to say no so in my attachment parenting belief, I had to say yes. They are thrilled they can sleep with the tree tonight.
Mean while I have tree guilt. So many trees die and this is just for decoration. I mean I know I use paper for things often but I try and buy recycled and we recycle paper as well.
I think I might have to swallow the guilt and admit the tree is beautiful and that I am glad to have it.
I have tree guilt with a little conflict tied in nicely. For years we had a real tree, we got it from the same sweet little old couple each year, we were helping them out so it was ok-ish. Then we moved, and I became conflicted. I didn’t like the thought of killing a tree either, but didn’t like artificial ones. Then we had an artificial one given to us by a very sweet friend who was moving. We of course had to use it, it would save a couple of trees, and money. I still don’t like it, but it does the job. We then decorate a living tree outdoors with edible decorations for the animals, it’s my little way of having a living tree to celebrate the beauty of nature and leave it where it belongs.
Kelli that is beautiful! What I would give to have a tree outside to decorate every year! I might then be able to get away with no tree inside at all! I am going to put an outside tree on my wish list for someday when we settle in one place! Thank you!
I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve ever even heard of tree guilt, LOL, so I’d have to say no. However, now that you mentioned it…I’m holding my head in shame!!!
It is a beautiful tree, btw!!!
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Another option is to buy a live potted tree, my mom used to do this, then we would plant them in the yard after the holidays. 🙂 Idk where she always found full size potted trees, but she did.