Well, we 're home from Cape Cod! Last nite I did a load of laundry, today I have one running while Claire is at dance rehearsal for church xmas show. Hubby is still at church sitting in on an interview for a new youth pastor, Courtney is completing her biology lab report, and I am heading out to the shed to dig out the outdoor xmas decorations!'Tis the season.....for lights, wreaths, pinecones, cranberries and candles! Today I am just putting up the outside lights and the candle in each window. I don't turn them on until Dec. 1st. That is one of my traditions! I will also begin to put up some indoor decorations but not the Nativity scene yet nor the tree. Each year we get a real tree (we just love that balsam scent...if I can't hike in the winter then I MUST have that scent in my home!). Today we are thinking and discussing (as a family) if we want to be better stewards of our Creator's creation and save a tree.....by....purchasing a tree we saw at Lowe's that looks like the real thing. It is a bit pricey but....in the long run, this could be a better choice for us. We are tired of seeing beautiful xmas trees tossed to the curb on Jan. 1st....what a waste of our creation! (and quite frankly, after 14 years of having a real tree in my living room I am tired of vacuuming daily in a month that is supposed to be joyous!)
So....I will post something in a couple of days.....I will be writing about Traditions, Part 2 and how we celebrate St. Nicholas day to honor my side of the family! Around our house....traditions this time of year is very important and now that we are done with the trek to Plymouth and its environs, we head towards my absolute favorite holiday! Enjoy your day!
4 comments:
Most of us love decorating for the holiday season, but we don't consider the impact that Xmas decorations might have on our environment. The fact is that more than 300,000 tons of waste is usually produced during the Christmas season. The good news is that there are steps that you can take to make your Xmas decorations more environmentally friendly this year. This means that while you are celebrating the festivities of the season, you can also rest assured that you are doing your part to put the "green" back in Christmas. It isn't hard to create an environmentally friendly holiday; all it takes is a little bit of information and some advanced planning.
O, Christmas Tree!
The Christmas tree is often the first Xmas decoration to get scrutinized when environmental responsibility comes into play. A fresh tree will take one of these beauties from its natural habitat. The artificial tree will add to the pollution problem because it is made from nonrenewable petroleum, and other synthetic substances. So which option can you take? The truth is that most fresh trees come from tree farms designed specifically for this purpose. And while that planted tree may only benefit our environment for 15 years or so (the time it takes for a Christmas tree to mature), chances are a new tree or two will go into the ground in its place.
On the other hand, while artificial trees may be made from products that are not recyclable, the number of years that you hang onto that artificial tree may help to offset the toll that it might take on the environment. To ensure that your Christmas tree is indeed "green," make sure that you buy your tree from a responsible tree farm that replaces all of the trees it cuts down. Keep your artificial tree for as many years as possible, to ensure that the environment is safe from the additional waste. With proper care, some of these trees can last a decade or more. And for the really environmentally conscious, select a "living" tree as your Xmas decoration that you can decorate indoors for the holiday, and then plant in your yard when Christmas is over.
Dear Anon: thanks for your thoughts. It is VERY difficult though to plant a living pine tree where we live as the ground is frozen solid until mid-April.....great idea though! Thanks!
I always try to buy a christmas tree in a pot with the intention of looking after it over the years and having the same christmas tree because i love real trees.
But i fail every time. I'm giving up this year, because I never water them regularly and i keep them in the house for too long after christmas without water!
Hi Faith, for some reason I thought you did another post on your Cape Cod trip...maybe i imagined it :) I'm sure I saw something headed Part 2 or something like that.
How was it? How did your husband's family respond to grace, etc?
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