I love the holiday season! Christmas, Hanukah, New Year’s Day–the works. The best part, if you ask me, is getting to spend it with my children who traveled a long way to be with their mom. This really is the best time of the year, one that I wish wouldn’t have to end.
But here’s how I know when the season is over. I take a look at my street on the first trash pick-up day after New Year’s. And somehow, I’m overcome with sadness when I see the Christmas trees that have been left for the garbage collector. Kicked to the curb, without so much as a by-your-leave.
Is this the best we can do??
Think about it. These trees have made the supreme sacrifice. Raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to be chopped down in their prime and placed in a lot where you can buy one for the right price, take it home, decorate it to your heart’s content, and rejoice in its decked out beauty. The lights, the ornaments, and all the presents tucked under the tree. It’s a delight and joy to behold.
But come January 2, and the tree’s got to go. We can’t wait to get rid of them. But do we have to kick them to the curb, so unceremoniously?
Have we forgotten what they represented to us for the past month? Indeed, the ornaments and lights are treated with more dignity than the lofty tree. They get carefully tucked away and wrapped to prevent breakage for another year. Such memories they hold for us!
But ah, the lowly Christmas tree. Off you go, tree! Good riddance to bad rubbish, we seem to be saying in the way we carelessly dispose of them. No time for one more round of “Oh Tannenbaum.” It’s back to work, back to school and sentiment be damned.
Right?
Wrong. Even if these trees are no longer wanted or remembered, I cannot let them go without some final thoughts. Herewith, my tribute to some steadfast trees:
Dearest tree, as you move on to a much better place, know that you were loved. For a short while you brought warmth into our home and made Aunt Agatha dance a Christmas jig as she had not in many years. You are a noble tree and deserve better. Here’s hoping you’ll get it in your next life.
Dear Christmas Tree, Please don’t believe for one moment that you were murdered and that your owner tried to hide the evidence by placing you in a body bag. Not the case. It’s just that little Billy didn’t want you to leave and in order to keep the truth from him, his parents needed the bag to disguise the awful truth. Here’s hoping Billy doesn’t notice the empty space you’ve left behind. Rest in peace, sweet tree.
Dear Christmas Tree, Please keep the tinsel that was inadvertently left on your branches as a token reminder of the glory once bestowed upon you. You brightened someone’s home quite a bit and kept a stiff upper lip the entire time, proudly showing off your shiny decorations. And all the while, you never once complained when they forgot to water you, as you assumed you’d found your forever home. Well, maybe next time the stars will be aligned in your favor, dear friend. For now, it wasn’t meant to be.
Dear Christmas Tree, if I didn’t know any better I’d say someone had their way with you and then left in the gutter to sing for your supper. But alas, there’ll be no more suppers in your future. No more good times in this life. The sun is setting on you and soon you’ll be in a better place. Let’s hope that, wherever life finds you, there’s a nice wooden stand available to help keep you upright. That and a little trim will suit you well.
Thank you for bearing with me while I laid these trees, a gift of nature, to rest. Here’s to a new year, a fruitful one, a good one.
Here’s to you, my friends in the blogosphere. Happy New Year to all and to all a good night!
Monica's Tangled Web 
OMGOSH,
I always feel terribly sad for the uprooted Christmas trees.
It’s like, what kind of life is that?
xxx
Exactly. It’s heartbreaking. They’re loved for a couple of weeks, then discarded like yesterday’s trash. How easily we move on. Sad, as someone high up would say.
Happy New year my friend. I spare a thought for the tree that graces our front room each year. My girls always mourn its loss. We haven’t got around to artificial trees yet but think it’s coming. I don’t like kicking ours to the curb, so everything is recycled, or we have the option of having the boy scouts pick it up to be recycled. I did wonder if I could just plant it in my yard, so maybe next year.
Oh MM, How could I?? How could I forget to respond to your dear message. I’m such an awful friend, I’m sorry to say.
Happy New Year to you, too! Yes, maybe next year you can get a living tree and plant it afterwards. I’ve always loved the smell of pine in my home, but a several years ago I bought a small–dare I say it?–fake tree. But it looks realistic to me and it packs up quite neatly. I love that I reuse it year after year. It has lights built into it and they still work!
Hope you forgive me. Otherwise I’ll be forever blue. Sigh. 😦
Happy New Year to you too. Just but an artificial Xmas tree and that way you’ll recycle it each year.
That’s what I have. An artificial tree is so convenient–and environmentally friendly, too!
Oops, never thought about it that way. Couldn’t wait to get riddda mine. Those trees come with such a nice scent and we’re just a thoughtless buncha humans. We oughta be shamed but will we do it next year? Probably so. We’re quite a notion.
Oh Tots, you certainly have a quirky way of looking at things. Makes my heart roar with laughter. Would love to spend a day with you and listen to all your observations. Would give me quite a kick.
Would love to sit and chat it up with you, Monica. I’m something else once I’m good and wound up. 👍
Oh, Monica, this is just so sad! I, too, hate driving around after Christmas and seeing the once-revered trees lying forlornly at the curb. That’s one reason we’ve invested in a nice artificial tree. I know it doesn’t smell the same, but pine-scented air fresheners take care of that. It does my heart good knowing I’m not contributing to tree-murder, tree-abandonment, and landfill overcrowding. Well done!
We have an artificial tree, too, Debbie. So much more environmentally sound as options go. It’s a small one and I agree re missing the scent. I use pine-scented candles and they do the trick for me. There’s also the option of buying a living tree that can be planted after the holidays are over. Anyway, I’m so glad you understand my feelings in seeing these beautiful trees haphazardly discarded. What’s more, our trash collectors won’t pick them up. They have to be taken to the recycling center too many are lazy and prefer to leave them on the curb and make them someone else’s problem. Sigh.
Hi Monica
Over here we have many many places all over the country that will recycle your old Christmas tree, Recycling is the thing here these days.
I have a couple of families quite local whose trees grow in their front garden and each December they decorate them complete with lights. Each year they are a little bigger and each year they need a few more decorations.
Well, the way your neighbors do it is the right way, in my estimation. That way, no one or thing needs to die just to celebrate a holiday. The supreme sacrifice!