Fresh or Fake?
I think everyone and their brother was out this weekend in Portland getting a Christmas tree and hanging lights. Or at least that was what it looked like by the number of people on ladders and cars strapped down with evergreens that I saw while out driving around on Saturday and Sunday. With the gorgeous weekend weather that we had - I’m not surprised. Who knows if we’ll get another one that like before Christmas! And we fell into step as well - the lights are up - and the tree was purchased - and yes even decorated already - but that’s about all we do to decorate so it’s not too crazy. But it’s an aspect of Christmas that I appreciate much more living here than I did back in the Midwest.
I don’t remember ever having a real Christmas tree growing up - we had a very nice artificial one that you assembled by color-coded tips on the branches. It was just more practical. Trees in Kansas typically didn’t come from Kansas - it’s just not a great evergreen growing state. So they never looked as nice as the ones around here do - there definitely weren’t parking lots full of trees everywhere you turn like there are here - and the cost was much higher. We bought a Noble Fir that touches the ceiling in our living room for $35 - that same tree would have been closer to $75 in Kansas. And we were able to go pick one out, get it home, and have it in the stand all trimmed down and in the house in less than 30 minutes. So I love getting the live tree.
My husband - who did grow up around here - said that his father isn’t a fan of the live tree though - his theory being why would you cut it down and bring a dead tree inside your house when there are all the nice living ones outside?
So as native Portlanders or newcomers…which do you prefer - live or artificial?
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Got it home, trimmed, and in the stand in 30 minutes? Arrrgggh! It takes me longer than that to yell/kick/swear/throw things at the damn stand every year.
For the love of Xmas, can anyone recommend a Christmas tree stand I won’t want to throw in anger?
To answer the question you asked, we go cut a fresh tree every year.
I never put up a tree until I had children. Christmas is for the kids, as far as I’m concerned.
With that said, you gotta have a fresh tree. About 70% of what is wonderful about Christmas is the way the tree makes your house smell.
Oh, and Aaron, we use a cast iron tree stand, it’s heavy as hell, and works great.
So Aaron - last year we had a TERRIBLE time getting it in the stand and straight - there was considerable swearing invovled. But at the tree place this year we saw this stand that you lay the tree in sideways and then it pops up - so we didn’t buy that, but it inspired us. So we laid it down in the garage - put the stand on while it was sideways - and then stood it up straight and tall to move inside - it was awesome! Just a pretty cheap plastic one from Target.
We have six tall pines on our property. Got enough needles outside don’t need them inside. Fake for us. Just a fresh wreath is sufficient for that pine scent. I recommend Parsons Farm off Kruse in L.O. Great selection and one of the last family-owned farms in the SW Metro ‘burbs. Just a couple others left up on West Linn hill.
I don’t put up a tree, instead I prefer some nice holiday accents around the place.
I’m an Oregonian in Kansas. We cut a Juniper every year for a Christmas tree. Great fragrance and a real tree. I am a daily reader of Metroblogging Portland to keep in touch. Great site. 2 weeks from today and I am off to PDX.
Hey PDX - I’m glad we can keep ya connected while you’re in my childhood home - Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
My family has always been a strictly a live tree bunch (I mostly grew up in Portland), but my parents used to tell stories of the days when they were first married when they couldn’t afford trees. They’d make a cone-shaped frame out of chicken wire and scrounge around tree lots for extra branches and come how and “build” a tree.
we’re getting a live tree this year from The Original Living Christmas Tree Company - http://www.livingchristmastrees.org
They deliver it, root ball and all, and then pick it up 2-1/2 weeks later, and it’s re-planted at a park or school or church.