The holiday season is upon us, and regardless of your culture or beliefs, everyone has some family traditions about one holiday, celebration, or other special day. So, it's time to share! What special days do you celebrate? What traditions does your family hold? What is your favorite holiday? What are your favorite holiday memories? When you think of Christmas, you probably think of mistletoe, holly wreaths, and beautiful trees all trimmed with lights...
Unless you have seasonal allergies. Then you think, "why o why do people think it's a good idea to put pine trees and fungus and pollen-bearing plants all over their homes?"
That's what I'm thinking this year, because something has triggered the worst bout of seasonal allergies I've had in well over a decade. I'm talking itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, headache, the whole works. It's insane. Is the pollen particularly bad this year? Is there something else triggering it? I don't know. I'll let you know if I find out, because I imagine if you're suffering too you're as fed up with it as I am.
But I digress.
Getting back to Christmas traditions. I'm contemplating my usual catch-22 of the Christmas season. Do I use a real Christmas tree, complete with the pollen it will bring into my house, or do I use the artificial tree, complete with a year's worth of dust and other allergens from the attic?
Real trees are so much prettier. They're easier to set up, as well. I mean, mother nature comes with "no assembly required." I've yet to find a full-size artificial tree that can claim that
. But the artificial trees are cheaper (if you've already purchased on in the past), and probably at least slightly more environmentally sound (if you use the same one for ten years like we've done, I'm sure it is).
I guess I still have a few weeks to figure it out.
Comments (13)
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REAL!!
Holidays are coming up way too fast. Judi
For myself there is nothing like a real live tree in a container to be planted after the season...but alas I have 2 cats that love the decorations...lol...and the lights...so I have a stuffed tree and a few other knick knack trees that are all set on one table...looks good...lil hands from neices and nephews and gkids cannot tug at it and most importantly it cannot be attacked or used as a "box"...lol...great post...oh and by the by it is a bad year for allergys...smile
The last year I had a "live" tree I ended up with two. The first one lost all it's needles within a week so I had to de-decorate it and return it. Yes, they made me bring it back in order to get another one. I vacuumed pine needles for the next 6 years I lived in that house. And the day after Chirstmas I went out and bought my first fake tree. Been happy ever since.
thanks for stopping by! i've been enjoying reading these as well.
i prefer real trees personally. and i find that if you hose it off outside and then bring it in when dry a fair amount of pollen is rinsed off.
have a good holidays!
Real trees are definiately better and more in the spirit of things, but artificial trees are easier to deal with.
I love a real tree for the odor, and if cost is not a concern, then I want one that is trimmed to be the right shape. My favorite kind of real tree? A Douglas Fir that I can cut down myself. The smell is pine mixed with oranges, and they grew wild all over the area I grew up in. If you can cut it down yourself, that will be the best way to avoid too much needles falling. Just let it sit outside for a day to get over the shock, and then let it "fall" for a day with just lights on it before you trim it. Having said alla that, mine will be artificial, cause cost is a consideration for me. Hope your holiday is warm and bright!
justme
cm
Some years ago we bought an artificial tree partly because it was so startlingly lifelike.
It does require a lot of assembly - each branch is separate and they have to be placed at the right level -though when you get them mixed up, the tree looks even more lifelike. We keep it in its original, rather bulky box (It's a 6' tree) so it doesn't get dusty. Most real Christmas trees are harvested as early as October so it's not too surprising that they don't last much beyond (and sometimes not until) Christmas.nice! I'd love to have real trees, but I try to be practical by choosing the artificial ones....heck maybe we won't set up a tree this year.LOL
With regards to the environmental aspect, real trees are farmed, and as such are replanted at a rate equal to or greater than the rate at which they are cut down.
That being said, I never considered how terrible it would be for someone with bad allergies. Sounds terrible. A lose lose situation.
Can't really give an opinion here, I don;'t have the allergy problem and I haven't had a tree for years, aside from my 6" fiber optic one. That one is easy to keep clean and dust free though.
I'm sorry about your allergies. My mother always made sure that we had a real tree, she still gets a real one. I was gifted an artificial tree so I use that. I love real trees though.
As an adult, I've always used an artificial tree--we don't even have a stand for a real one. However, growing up we ALWAYS had a real tree. It was such a nice tradition--going to pick out the Christmas tree every year. When my little one gets older (3 or 4) I might have to reinstate the "real tree" tradition.
There were also a couple years when we bought "live' trees that my parents planted in the yard after Christmas was over. That is actually nice, because the first tree we ever planted (I was about 8 or 9) is absolutely HUGE now (its been 20+ years). Its hard to believe that it was ever in our house. Of course, I also remember my Dad having to get like two other guyso help him move the "live" trees into the house because the huge bulb at the bottom weighed a ton. :)