Let’s Have a Moment of Silence for My Christmas Tree

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I have a complicated relationship with live Christmas trees. 

I love the idea of a live or real Christmas tree, but between my allergies, the standard mess of dropped needles and watering situation, lets face it they are kind of a pain.

I started kicking around the idea of an artificial tree a few years ago, which was met with general resistance from the majority of my fam, and pretty much everyone I dared metnion it to.

Turns out, it is nearly blasphemous to buy an artificial tree in Upstate New York. 

I can leave my house and head North, East, West or South and be at a tree farm in less than 20 minutes. It is the quintessential Upstate Holiday Tradition: Load the kids in the SUV, head to one of many local tree farms, find the perfect tree, chop it down and tie it on top of said SUV, and head home to decorate the tree. Heck,  Some local tree farms even have photographers on staff to capture images of the day for you.

Cutting down a live Christmas tree is a big deal here. 

This year we headed to the tree farm, and cut down the biggest, fullest tree that would reasonably fit in our living room and came home to decorate the tree. 

Later that night, after the lights were strung, the ornaments carefully placed on the branches and the crowning bow tree topper perched on the highest branch. It all came crashing down.

Litereally. 

The tree fell over. 

Ornaments broke, pine needles everywhere, and pine sap-water soaking into the carpet.

As I picked up the pieces and secured the tree back into an upright position with itchy watery eyes, a runny nose, and fresh contact rash on my arms, I vowed this would be our last live tree. I meant it. 

I left the tree in its sad state for a day. The lights dangling from their previously carefully placed locations, the ornaments that survived in the tote by the tree.

Yes, I was officially salty with my christmas tree. 

The following day, as I was going through my photos and video from the tree farm there may have been a slight change of heart. Watching the video I couldn’t help but love it…

My kids are now as tall or officially taller than me, sporting cell phones, and expertly-applied eyeliner, they no longer write letters to Santa. But they still dart around the tree farm looking high and low for the perfect tree.

Am I really ready to let that go? Now I’m not so sure.

I popped a Benedryl,  watered my bruised and battered tree, and tidied up the lights. My husband anchored the tree to the wall with string and hooks,  and the kids helped place the ornaments on the tree, again.

I admired our sad tree with broken branches and now significantly less ornaments, and thought about the afternoon at the tree farm. I wasn’t so sure I’m ready to give up our tree farm outing and live Christmas tree experience…

Luckily, I have a whole year to figure it out.

So, which team are you?

Team real Christmas tree or Team Artificial?

Why?