trees trees trees?

I don't "do" Christmas trees anymore, at least not in the traditional way. This was one of the traditions that I have decided is really more pagan than Christian if you think about the origins of it. My dad died during Christmas season, then I had a series of other crises during the same time of year for about 5 years straight, including breakup of marriage, and loss of my mom. It really caused me to rethink my celebration of Christmas, and our family doesn't do secular frivolous stuff any more. We do very modest gift exchange and focus on the Christian aspects of the season with caroling, worship, nativity story, giving to charity, etc.

I do have a wrought iron horseshoe tree that I sometimes decorate with bandannas and chili pepper lights if I am going to be entertaining at my Texas cabin during the Christmas season. This year I am planning to plant a live evergreen outside instead of decorating a dead (or artificial) one. I saw some solar-powered twinkle lights in a mail-order catalog, so I'm hoping to get some of those (otherwise the extension cord would be a bear--we have a long driveway).

Do NOT do it if it is not meaningful to you and your family. Life is too short and Christmas too blessed a time for you to be stressing over something that does NOT matter and does not directly bring honor and glory to the Savior.

I have a ceramic tree, too--I bought it from a sheltered workshop that mentally-challenged children and adults many years ago. Nothing wrong with that in the least!

What is wrong with a ceramic lighted tree? It sounds beautiful to me.

I used to have a fiber optic tree that I loved and I got lots of flak for it but I didn't care because I got enjoyment out of the tree, and it didn't require the maintenance that a real one does. The only thing I missed was the smell of a fresh tree but I can always light a scented candle instead if I choose.

If you've found an alternative that YOU are happy with, ignore the naysayers. Chances are they're jealous of the low-maintenance that yours has.

If you little ceramic tree makes you happy & feel festive, then ignore what anyone else says. It is up to you how you choose to decorate & celebrate Christmas.

I know it is a lot of time, effort, & energy to put up a tree every year, but its what makes me happy. It feels like you've stepped out of the pages of a wonderful Christmas story, and you have a little bit of that in your living room for a few weeks. Afterwards, you have a reason for a bon fire!

You know I think its really up to the individual. I have a fake Christmas tree because it was very cost effective for my situation an couldn't afford a real one every year. Now I like it just because of the hassle of keeping it and piking up all those needles. Then there are the people who love to buy them and God Bless them because they are putting food on the tree growers table. As far as the people that harass you about your cute little tree(reminds me of my granny who lived alone and I Absolutely loved going to her house just to see her

beautiful ceramic tree as far as I know she never did have a real one)Tell them that its not the TREE that makes Christmas

It is kindness and caring for your fellow man and the loving Spirit that makes Christmas!!! GOD BLESS YOU and HAVE a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Your not alone in the way you feel. We have a fake tree that I leave the lights on all year and store in my basement. However, it never feels quite the same as having a real tree. The real tree smells great, but your right it is a pain to clean up.

I love Christmas trees. They are beautiful trees, and I love the way they smell. They're a symbol of Christmas, really. Seeing one just makes me so happy. I love to see it when the lights are off, but the tree is lit up and there's a calm fire in the fireplace.

If you are allergic then don't get one, or get one fake, oh is so exciting to put the tree up, it's just very up lifting, and is all worthed when time to take it down

to each his own. if a ceramic tree works for you, sobeit. i prefer a real christmas tree. i love the smell. i certainly don't mind putting it up (and i am allergic to them as well, i put with the welps for a couple of days). they're not a hassle if you enjoy it.

people get excited because they love the holiday atmosphere, lights and ornaments and all that good stuff. but i think you should have whatever you want for a tree or no tree at all if you so desire. when someone criticizes your tree just ask who shoved a reindeer up their butt!

because they are in the christmas spirit! i love christmas, so i would want a real tree no matter what, it gives the holiday morespirit and feeling than a fake one. but you should get critisized if your allergic, im sure you would want a regular tree if you werent allergic, dont worry.