NEW ADDITION TO THE HOUSEHOLD
We’re off to get our Christmas tree. As usual my theories about how synthetic trees are better for the environment have been ignored and it’s time to venture out to get a sticky, needle-dropping specimen. I still think that keeping a plastic tree for fifty years and bringing it down from the attic at Christmas will use less energy that lumping the dismembered tree from the woods. “It hasn’t got that pine smell” my family tell me. You can get that pine fresh smell out of a bottle of disinfectant if that’s all it is. “No you can’t and we are getting a real tree.” Didn’t there used to be a time when a man was head of the family? But there are some arguments when it is better to go with the majority and as it is the season of peace and good will I may as well go with the flow.
So my job now is to protect the car. First job is to put down a rug to catch stray needles. Unfortunately the dog thinks this warm and dry blanket is for her and sits on it as I am trying to straighten it out in the boot. She usually sits in the foot well in the front but has decided to spread out in the back.
KEEP IT LOCAL
I have been talking a lot about supporting local businesses this Christmas and I think it’s important to keep the money in the community, so home grown trees from local growers are a great way to keep the money circulating around Inishowen.
It has taken us no time at all to get to the farm. Trees cut today lay on the side of the laneway going up to the farm. There is a wide selection of different types. It’s an impressive site as they are of a very uniform shape. We usually don’t buy a tree until the last day before everyone goes home for the holidays, this year we are on the ball and I can see why people shop for them early. It’s been a good crop with the looks of it.
YOU CHOOSE
I let the family choose the tree every year. I can never find one that is as uniform as a plastic one but that doesn’t seem to be the priority to the three Christmas tree critics as they weigh up the needles and branches. We are not alone. “You can feel if a tree is the right one for you.” I hear someone say just down from us. “You form a connection with it,” their friend agrees. My way of connecting is pushing the plug into the wall to light up the fibre optics, but hey, I thought, let’s get into the festive mood.
“Is it a bit early to be buying trees?” I ask the girl whose job it is to cram the trees into the boots of cars and use the green webbing gadget.
“You will be surprised how long a cut tree will last with a bit of care,” she tells me. “When you buy a tree make sure it stands in water, ideally cut off a couple of centimetres before you either put it in a watertight bucket filled with sand and water, or you can buy good stands that hold water.” She continues as she effortlessly pushes the tree through th tube to get it neatly packaged with nylon webbing.
“ Mine usually shed their leaves all over the front room carpet after a week” I say, trying to sound chirpy. “We have one of those water container stands, they’re very good, I’ll go and get it”. She disappears leaving the lads and me alone with a rather interesting piece of bailing machinery. It doesn’t take long before I have fathomed out how the tree-wrapping machine works and the lads have demonstrated first hand how you can get yourself wrapped up like a Christmas tree, having imitated the procedure and gone through the tunnel and out of the other end.
We just manage to compose ourselves in time for Jane to come back with the stand. “You can have it for €10 if you like” she says happily. I give it the once over. It’s not bad, strong grippers hold the trunk in place and the bowl holds about four pints of water. “I’ll take it.” I say.
“Have you any other tips for sparing the vacuum cleaner an overload with pine needles?” I ask.
There are four main types,” she begins. “There’s Norway Spruce , which is the most traditional looking Christmas tree. “That’s the one that smells like Christmas.” I say before I realise that I am speaking. “ Well I suppose so, if Christmas smells like pine trees.” She carries on. “If you don’t like sharp needles than Scots pine is the one to get. Then there are Lodgepole pine and the Nordmann, which are both very good this year too.” Jane knows her trees. “Remember too that you can take the trees to the recycling centre after Christmas too, so there’s no reason to by an artificial one.” I get the feeling that she has been tipped off about my preferences for plastic and realise that I am outnumbered.
INTO THE CAR
I have helped to drag the tree through the bailing machine and the next job is to get the tree into the car without taking the lining off of the roof. The seats go down and the pointy bit where the fairy will sit goes out of the front passenger window. “It’s going to be a squeeze, it’s too big.” It’s expected of me to moan so I don’t disappoint. “Don’t be such a grump” I hear someone whisper. Actually it does look a nice tree and we have some fabulous decorations that have been collected over the years to hang on the branches. For a brief second there I get a feeling of peace and well-being. It’s a brief feeling of peace though because Merry Xmas Evereebodee by Slade has just come on the radio…..
We’re off to get our Christmas tree. As usual my theories about how synthetic trees are better for the environment have been ignored and it’s time to venture out to get a sticky, needle-dropping specimen. I still think that keeping a plastic tree for fifty years and bringing it down from the attic at Christmas will use less energy that lumping the dismembered tree from the woods. “It hasn’t got that pine smell” my family tell me. You can get that pine fresh smell out of a bottle of disinfectant if that’s all it is. “No you can’t and we are getting a real tree.” Didn’t there used to be a time when a man was head of the family? But there are some arguments when it is better to go with the majority and as it is the season of peace and good will I may as well go with the flow.
So my job now is to protect the car. First job is to put down a rug to catch stray needles. Unfortunately the dog thinks this warm and dry blanket is for her and sits on it as I am trying to straighten it out in the boot. She usually sits in the foot well in the front but has decided to spread out in the back.
KEEP IT LOCAL
I have been talking a lot about supporting local businesses this Christmas and I think it’s important to keep the money in the community, so home grown trees from local growers are a great way to keep the money circulating around Inishowen.
It has taken us no time at all to get to the farm. Trees cut today lay on the side of the laneway going up to the farm. There is a wide selection of different types. It’s an impressive site as they are of a very uniform shape. We usually don’t buy a tree until the last day before everyone goes home for the holidays, this year we are on the ball and I can see why people shop for them early. It’s been a good crop with the looks of it.
YOU CHOOSE
I let the family choose the tree every year. I can never find one that is as uniform as a plastic one but that doesn’t seem to be the priority to the three Christmas tree critics as they weigh up the needles and branches. We are not alone. “You can feel if a tree is the right one for you.” I hear someone say just down from us. “You form a connection with it,” their friend agrees. My way of connecting is pushing the plug into the wall to light up the fibre optics, but hey, I thought, let’s get into the festive mood.
“Is it a bit early to be buying trees?” I ask the girl whose job it is to cram the trees into the boots of cars and use the green webbing gadget.
“You will be surprised how long a cut tree will last with a bit of care,” she tells me. “When you buy a tree make sure it stands in water, ideally cut off a couple of centimetres before you either put it in a watertight bucket filled with sand and water, or you can buy good stands that hold water.” She continues as she effortlessly pushes the tree through th tube to get it neatly packaged with nylon webbing.
“ Mine usually shed their leaves all over the front room carpet after a week” I say, trying to sound chirpy. “We have one of those water container stands, they’re very good, I’ll go and get it”. She disappears leaving the lads and me alone with a rather interesting piece of bailing machinery. It doesn’t take long before I have fathomed out how the tree-wrapping machine works and the lads have demonstrated first hand how you can get yourself wrapped up like a Christmas tree, having imitated the procedure and gone through the tunnel and out of the other end.
We just manage to compose ourselves in time for Jane to come back with the stand. “You can have it for €10 if you like” she says happily. I give it the once over. It’s not bad, strong grippers hold the trunk in place and the bowl holds about four pints of water. “I’ll take it.” I say.
“Have you any other tips for sparing the vacuum cleaner an overload with pine needles?” I ask.
There are four main types,” she begins. “There’s Norway Spruce , which is the most traditional looking Christmas tree. “That’s the one that smells like Christmas.” I say before I realise that I am speaking. “ Well I suppose so, if Christmas smells like pine trees.” She carries on. “If you don’t like sharp needles than Scots pine is the one to get. Then there are Lodgepole pine and the Nordmann, which are both very good this year too.” Jane knows her trees. “Remember too that you can take the trees to the recycling centre after Christmas too, so there’s no reason to by an artificial one.” I get the feeling that she has been tipped off about my preferences for plastic and realise that I am outnumbered.
INTO THE CAR
I have helped to drag the tree through the bailing machine and the next job is to get the tree into the car without taking the lining off of the roof. The seats go down and the pointy bit where the fairy will sit goes out of the front passenger window. “It’s going to be a squeeze, it’s too big.” It’s expected of me to moan so I don’t disappoint. “Don’t be such a grump” I hear someone whisper. Actually it does look a nice tree and we have some fabulous decorations that have been collected over the years to hang on the branches. For a brief second there I get a feeling of peace and well-being. It’s a brief feeling of peace though because Merry Xmas Evereebodee by Slade has just come on the radio…..
