I'm sorry, this is so irritating -- the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, long a tradition of New Yorkers and others for over 70 years, has gone "green" (as if the 1000-story tall Spruce wasn't green enough). So this year the tree is going to have energy saving lights and solar panels to help ease energy burdens (here's a link to the AP story). I was reading in the wiki about the Rockefeller Tree that in previous years they turn the tree into mulch and other things as a way to alleviate any associated guilt about cutting down a 60 year-old tree (such as the one this year), the trunk being used for some equestrian team to jump over; this year they will be using the tree to make boards to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. I think that's all great -- waste not, want not, and Habitat for Humanity is an amazing organization. And don't get me wrong -- I love the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It's part of my childhood and makes me misty just looking at the image for this entry.But here's my idea: Why not plant a meaty-looking spruce at the center and decorate that? Allow it to grow as a testament to good stewardship. It won't be as spectacular but it will be someday, and families can return every year to monitor how much it has grown and hear about any trying adventures it may have had over the past year (you know it would be a target for vandals and nesting birds). How about a new Rockefeller Christmas Tree tradition?
I totally agree. It’s puzzling that this hasn’t been done, unless there’s some reason a live tree wouldn’t grow well in that spot.
ReplyDeleteDan and I love the scent of fresh evergreens in our home at the holidays, but we no longer buy Christmas trees. We purchase a locally made swag or a garland instead. This provides the lovely fragrance with less impact. I arrange Christmas cards around the greenery and display our favorite ornaments in a pretty bowl. It still feels festive, but it costs less and requires less floor space. At the end of the season, we compost the evergreen branches. Works for us. I’ll try to post a photo at my blog closer to Christmastime.
That's a great idea, and I know that the grocery store near our house keeps a box of branches they've cut from the trees they sell in the front of the store.
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