O Christmas Tree
OK, we do something kind of crazy in December...some people as soon as the day after Thanksgiving... We put a tree -- very very often -- an evergreen tree that was alive days ago, still green, still still smelling (wonderfully) of pine forests -- into our house. I know that since we all do it, it seems so normal and traditional and all that we really don't question it. We just do it! Then we decorate it with pretty, Christmas themed things: ornaments, garland, maybe popcorn and cranberries on a string, lights...a star or an angel on top. We leave it there and we let it shed its needles all over our living room floor. Why do we do this? Is "because it is a Christmas tree" a good enough answer? Do your kids even ask why? Have you ever asked why? There is an answer. Ok, don't freak out on me. It began as a pagan tradition. (I can hear it now, "OK Mertle. Get that thing out of our house...its pagan! " Calm down. don't do anything rash!) It began ...