{"id":29062,"date":"2012-12-13T00:08:40","date_gmt":"2012-12-13T08:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/?p=29062"},"modified":"2012-12-13T00:08:40","modified_gmt":"2012-12-13T08:08:40","slug":"oh-christmas-tree-oh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/29062","title":{"rendered":"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh …"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tThe debate has been raging for decades of Decembers:<\/p>\n

Real or artificial?<\/p>\n

I’m talking trees, of course.<\/p>\n

In one camp, you have the hearty, saw-slinging lumberjacks (and Jills) that relish the opportunity to strike out into the snowy woods \u2026<\/p>\n

(or tree farm)<\/p>\n

to cut down a live fir for the holiday festivities …<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

On the other end of the spectrum, there are the urban-oriented pragmatists who figure that the one-time purchase of a lushly-limbed artificial tree will not only save them a trip to the cold and prickly wilds,<\/p>\n

it assures them that they will be punctually prepared for years to come,<\/p>\n

leaving more time for shopping, shindigs, and sundry stresses that seem requisite to the modern holiday season.<\/p>\n

One less item on the list.<\/p>\n

Christmas tree?<\/p>\n

Check!<\/p>\n

But, wait \u2026<\/p>\n

What if I told you that, this year, there is another candidate?<\/p>\n

Yes, unlike the recent presidential election, there is<\/em> a viable third option when it comes to our iconic Christmas centerpiece.<\/p>\n

Let’s say you’re appalled by the thought of PVC pine,<\/p>\n

and yet you feel a twinge of guilt about taking the life of a tree for such trivialities as tinsel and toys.<\/p>\n

Well, this may just be the idea you’ve been waiting for:<\/p>\n

A LIVING TREE!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

No, you don’t have to plant a seedling and wait years for it to grow (your grandkids would likely be off to college first).<\/p>\n

I’m talking about a full-sized potted tree that is delivered to your door and \u2026<\/p>\n

get this:<\/p>\n

picked up<\/em> after Christmas.<\/p>\n

All you have to do is decorate it!<\/p>\n

This new concept is something like a twist on party supply rental companies. It’s simple: rent a living tree, and celebrate the fact that it is destined for planting after Christmas has passed.<\/p>\n

How green is that?<\/p>\n

It may take some digging to find a living tree supplier in your area, but the idea will no doubt begin branching out across the country in years to come. In the meantime, here are a few companies on the west coast that are blazing the trail:<\/p>\n