20.05.12

For most of us, holiday activities revive fond memories of holiday seasons past, especially those from our childhood. When we were children, Christmas was a magical time of wishes and dreams, Santa, gifts, and family gatherings. The delicious smell of homemade cookies and gingerbread and the fresh scent of pine filled our homes.

One of my fondest childhood recollections is of my family’s annual pilgrimage into the forest to select our Christmas tree. My mom would bundle us up in our cozy snowsuits, hats, mittens, and red rubber boots and we would venture forth into the extensive woodland that surrounded our Catskill Mountain home. We spent hours tromping through the crusty snow searching for the perfect tree.

Those carefree days are gone but I still prefer a fresh tree to the perfect “near real” versions. When my children were younger, we gathered with family members at a Christmas tree farm to select and cut our own tree and once the tree was wrapped and loaded, a steaming cup of hot cocoa warmed our fingers and provided the perfect finishing touch to an exhilarating afternoon outing. Pre-cut trees from local vendors are dictated by our current hectic holiday schedule and while I still enjoy the wonderful scent, most cut trees have become a little too perfect for my liking with their heavily sheared branches which make it difficult to hang my unique collection of ornaments that dangle on long threads.

Source: Wicked Local