Oh Tanmybum, Oh Tanmybum

Got to get that Christmas tree! Drive to the abandoned parking lot of an old mall and spend too much money on a cartoon looking tree – a perfect cone just like on TV. This pagan ritual of the tree has now become an industry of tree farming. It not only takes up a lot of time and space, but it also creates a mess in the house. Then the thousands of trees that get put into the dump on Dec 28th creates its own environmental problem.

Some people have turned to plastic trees with the lights already affixed. Just put it up like an umbrella and plug it in. Very convenient. But when that tree looks dusty, and the lights begin to fail, it becomes another plastic abomination. Just throw it in the ocean with all the other plastic.

Am I the bah humbug hippy? Not at all, but my point is to consider what we do instead of unconsciously following the pattern. The Earth is at stake. We are showing our children a tradition that they will be forced to abandon at some point because it is not sustainable.

Make it easy on yourself and the Earth with a tree in a pot. There are many varieties of beautiful trees at your local nursery. They are cheaper than a cut tree. Some like shade and grow slowly. A tree in a pot is not spectacular to the ceiling tree, but it fits better in small spaces, is easy to put lights on, and doesn’t shed needles. It smells green, creates oxygen in the house, and gives one a good feeling of treeness. You can even trim it to make it bushy. It is easy to get when the time comes; when Christmas is over, just put it back outside. It can become filler in a garden space or liven up a wall.

There is no need to be stuck in unsustainable rituals. Every holiday or even every day is an opportunity to change for the better.