Oh Christmas Tree

By Bernie Bell

I was thinking of the fact that Christmas trees are already appearing, indoors.

Each year, thousands of trees are grown and cut down, to supply the Christmas tree business. Most of these are then thrown away. Some are shredded, to become mulch or compost, but many, far too many, just stand about in warm houses, drying up, dying quietly, and are then thrown on a rubbish heap. They will eventually rot, too – fair enough, but……well, another of the bees in my bonnet …it bothers me that so many are grown, just to be cut down and die, to no purpose at all.

So, I’m going to make a suggestion. Could folk please try to buy a rooted tree?  Keep it watered while it’s indoors, then, if you have a garden, plant it out after Christmas.  Each tree can be a memory of that Christmas, and, if you have a bit of land, you could end up with nice piece of coniferous woodland!

We tried this, for a few years, where we live, but I think the salt air is not good for the coniferous trees, and they died. So, we got a whirly willow obelisk.  We twine lights around it, hang sparkly decorations from it, and it looks very jolly and festive – but no trees have to die in the process!  It doesn’t even harm the willow, to have been cut to make the obelisk, as trimming strengthens willow.

This is just a suggestion, which might mean that so many trees are not grown, and cut down, only to die, pointlessly.

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Editor’s note: No trees were harmed in the making of The Orkney News

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How faithful are thy branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How faithful are thy branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Green not alone in summertime,
But in the winter’s frost and rime;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How faithful are they branches.

Boney M. – Oh Christmas Tree (1984)