I don't have a tree this year. I could blame family tragedies or the recent three minor surgeries that have got me nearly flat on my back. I could blame politics or climate change. I could blame my husband, after all, don't they often get left with the blame, whether guilty or not?
Or I could accept that this year, I will have no tree.
Actually, aside from the fact that the price of a Christmas tree has crept far beyond my budget, I'm also having trouble with the "disposable" mentality that goes with it. I mean, once a year, millions of people suddenly require the killing of trees that may not be ready to die. Then a month later, they are tossed away, forgotten. Some people recycle, and those lucky trees get to become toilet paper or paper towels. Maybe they are made into book pages. That would be nice. But fact is, there are lots of other recyclables that can be used for the purpose. The life of books does not depend on the death of Christmas trees.
I have a collection of vintage and antique ornaments, many in the shape of cats. I miss putting these on the tree, slipping them over the cool, spiky branches, then watching them shine in the colored lights for a week or two. But I put a photo on my wallpaper from back when I had a tree and am enjoying it just fine.
One thing I did participate in this year is the sending of Christmas cards. This small, non-electronic connection with friends and family gives me a great amount of pleasure. I love to see what people send back. (Those who still keep up the tradition.) As you can imagine, I receive a lot of cat-themed cards.
I like to look for interesting vintage cards on Pinterest. This year, I was especially enthralled by the 1950's black cat. Here are a few I found.
I also discovered a new artist who creates paintings in the style of that period, but with some added quirks of her own. Her name is El Gato Gomez, and she led me on a tortuous trail through social media as I tried to find out more about her. I failed. I don't even know where she's from. A Google search led me to old sites and error sites and multiple presence on Facebook. Still, I have to show you a few of her pieces.
So for all you with trees, please enjoy their loving ambiance for me. Possibly 2020 will be the year for me to put up a tree.
Happy Holidays!
I agree with you, Molly. I find it so sad to see those trees dead and abandoned. They should be allowed to grow tall and strong. In some countries, the trees are planted after Christmas. In other places, live trees outside houses are decorated, and in that way, everyone passing by profits from the lights and ornaments. Yes, growing trees for Christmas is a business, but we could still do things better.
ReplyDeleteThough nothing is quite like the nostalgic beauty of an indoor tree, I do love seeing live trees outside that have been decorated! There are so many ways to make the season shine.
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