Bah Hum Bug no real Christmas tree for me!
November 26, 2012 in Best of Both, Christmas, Holiday, Work-Life Balance
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Bah Hum Bug no real Christmas tree for me. That’s right I’m such a mean Mom, since I won’t give in and get a real Christmas tree. My college aged daughter even made a plea on my Facebook Wall to see if she could solicit support and persuade me.
Not a chance! My Best of Both Worlds is about balancing and juggling family life and work. This real tree thing does not help me with balance and I can’t juggle anymore so Bah Hum Bug! Quite frankly this just isn’t in the cards. Even certain BFF’s of mine took up the cause, and invited us to go make a day out of it, by posting links to lovely places where we could drive several hours with three kids in the car (even with the gaps in age of 18, 13, and 4 they still fight in the car).
Then once we arrive, we get to go out into the cold wooded area to chop down our own tree-did I mention its cold?!? Chopping down a tree-hmmm—I am a lot of things and am game most of the time, hey I even rode a camel this summer for my son’s sake, but really I think I need to draw the line somewhere and here seems like a good place.
My DH (Darling Husband) actually bought the most beautiful and in my opinion most fantastic tree that has while lights already pre-strung-so no more fighting with tangled messes of lights! Two big thumbs up for that purchase.
While I’m sure my friends had a wonderful day of family bonding in the cold fresh air with the wonderful hearty aroma of pine engulfing them- I think I’ll stick with our yearly trek down to the basement to get our pre-strung beautiful tree and light a pine scented candle instead without any trace of Mommy guilt.
I totally get it, we have to choose our battles in life, especially when it means trying to make life just a bit easier. Maybe have the two older ones go with someone to pick out a tree and they are responsible for keeping it fresh? 🙂
Isra–I like to think of myself as an optimistic person–but ahhh reality sets in –thinking that the two older ones would do that makes me laugh and smile–so for that I thank you!!!
We’ve never had a real tree before. I prefer to leave them growing in the forest where they are happy!
I have to remember to give your answer as well that they are “happy” growing exactly where they are!!! 🙂
We had a real tree when I was little but it just got to be so much work and such a mess. My kids have only known our prestrung fake tree and although it’s gorgeous I do miss that family time of picking out a tree together. Maybe one year we’ll do it when I’m like you and find a balance.
Bahh HUmbug..
I agree Lynda! BAH HUM BUG is right! I think just one year we should go out as a family and cut down a tree!
We go with a fake tree as well. It’s easier all around. If only the ones in the woods came pre-lit maybe I’d change my mind 😉
Up until last Christmas we have always had a real tree. After that last year of constantly sucking up pine needles and being pregnant last year I decided we were done wit the real thing!
We use artificial trees here … I’ve had a live tree twice ever and that was when I was younger. We never saw the allure and most of the tree lots aren’t very exciting.. and we don’t have a truck to haul it so.. yeah.
You made a wise choice. Just ask any fireman who has had the sad duty of responding to a Christmas tree fire. I will never have a real tree.
I waited to read & respond, wanted to see what kind of responses you would get, before I added my 2 cents..
I wholeheartedly agree with you..NO BAH HUM BUG….it just makes sense. There is a whole lot to do & going out in the COLD to cut down a living, healthy tree makes no sense nor is it good for the environment. OK so you do it, now you have to get it home on your van in bumper to bumper traffic with a cranky husband & 3 tired, miserable children & you are chilled to the bone. You get it home & drag it up the steps into the house only to discover that the stand you have is way too small, cranky husband goes out to buy a larger one, comes stomping in 2 hours later & almost throws it at you, you who had to start making dinner. After dinner kids want to put tree up, so you get right to it, only to discover it’s way too tall, so very cranky husband has to bring it back outside & down the steps to cut the top off. This done, back up the steps & now the fun begins, trying to make sure the tree is level in the new stand, this goes good & now you have to put on the lights….oh my….you can’t get round the tree it’s too close to the wall so you try to move it away from wall & it falls over onto the coffee table with everyone’s laptop on it, scares the dog & breaks your 4 year old’s favorite toy..crying begins & so goes the theory of how wonderful it is to have a real tree…(didn’t mention that tree wasn’t secure & fell – of course this happened when you had a house full of company)…. jumping ahead 6 months, you will still be picking up pine needles …So put up your very beautiful pre strung tree & enjoy…Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night…HoHoHo
As the afore mentioned husband in the original post I figure I should weigh in. While I am the one who has to dig out the tree from the basement every year I consider that to be a small price to pay. What with all the other demands on my time and that of my wife’s the tradition of cutting a tree just doesn’t work for us. It’s all about quality time and the amount of time that would be spent hunting the tree and the general irritation and tempers flaring isn’t quality time. The safety aspects can not be dismissed either. All in all I love the tree we have and it will give us years of enjoyment. So Merry X-Mas to all and remember that naughty isn’t always bad .