A Traditional German Christmas Tree
The Cultivation of Christmas Trees
T. S. Eliot
…The child wonders at the Christmas Tree:
Let him continue in the spirit of wonder
At the Feast as an event not accepted as a pretext;
So that the glittering rapture, the amazement
Of the first-remembered Christmas Tree,
So that the surprises, delight in new possessions
(Each one with its peculiar and exciting smell),
The expectation of the goose or turkey
And the expected awe on its appearance…
This beauty of a tree came again from a Christmas tree farm. We drove to the countryside to chose it, and cut it down ourselves. The tree stayed moist for a good month, which makes the drive worth it. And I love to support local businesses.
I was in the mood for a more traditional Christmas decoration. That means red baubles. And I wanted to pair the red with purple. Since I did not want to buy more ornaments, I decided on purple satin bows.
No matter what tree decorations are chosen, the Weihnachtsmann (Santa) ornament and the red heart are always part of it. Both ornaments are hand blown in Germany.
A traditional German decoration are straw stars. I hope one day I can find handmade ones. Until then the ones from IKEA have to do. For the first time I also added large pinecones as tree decorations. I found them at my favorite park while dog walking. I very much loved how they added a piece of nature to the tree.
And here it is! And as every year, I admire the finished Christmas tree and think to myself, this is the prettiest tree ever!
Because the tree was still moist after New Year’s, I decided to keep it for a couple more weeks decorated just with pinecones and fairy lights.
2018
