I said it's okay — and green enough — to get an artificial Christmas tree. Then Professor Yin came in with some scary stuff about lead, and Professor Bainbridge says don't get a tree at all, and don't even get presents — give it all to charity.
December 12, 2010
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I sort of wanted to say... who cares. Real tree or artificial tree, either way.
Real trees are, of course, completely renewable and while they grow they do what all plants do and take in CO2 and release O2.
Artificial trees are the ultimate re-use item.
Potted trees are no better in any respect than a cut tree, unless you've got a place to plant them and most people don't.
Having no tree when you'd otherwise have a tree (ie, you don't "do" Christmas for some reason) is self-congratulatory theater. Just say no. Christmas isn't supposed to be all about your moral superiority.
They all win! Merry Christmas!!
We have a nice small artificial tree. Pre-lit, hinged branches, base and two pieces. I was able to put it up by myself with a sling on because I fell and bruised my hand really bad on Friday afternoon and we didn't get the tree from storage until yesterday afternoon. Hand not broken, but the bruise goes through the hand from back to palm and is now moving up the fingers. Left hand, outside edge. Banged up both knees and my left ankle too.
wv: sychiter
Even though it's a lot of work, there's something about the smell of a real tree.
Are you going to eat this tree, Ann? Or have ankle-biters around that like to chew on the lower branches?
Don't worry about the lead (especially at Meade's age).
It's a festive decoration. Get one that lasts 30 years...and don't eat the damn thing for the 2 weeks that it is unpacked each year. These legalistic advice givers should all go work for Bloomberg in NYC and leave normal alone.
I wonder if Yin worries about small airplane exhaust overhead which contains lead from burning leaded fuel.
Bainbridge? What a humbug!!
wv = hades
Prof B: "We find it makes the season much more meaningful and a whole lot less stressful."
If you're getting stressed, you're doing it wrong.
Gotta admit, even though I get a real cut tree every year, they scare me to death. A dry, dead tree burns so hot and so fast you would think it was loaded with aviation fuel.
Denying Christmas to kids is wrong. They should get the tree, wrapped presents, the whole bit. It's part of childhood.
But if you're adults and you don't feel like putting up a tree or giving presents, then don't! Problem solved.
But if you're adults and you don't feel like putting up a tree or giving presents, then don't! Problem solved.
If you cut a live one, in a sense your putting a tree down instead of putting one "up."
I didn't put up decorations last year and then I went to my parent's house and they didn't' decorate and it was depressing. I have lights and yes, I went with a pre-lit artificial.
If you don't get a tree, you will be sorry if you don't decorate.
"Even though it's a lot of work, there's something about the smell of a real tree."
Here. Use this.
Fresh trees don't have the great smell anymore. It's been bred out of them or something.
don't even get presents — give it all to charity
Yes, of course. Why buy things to give to people? That is selfish and doesn't help anyone at all. That is, it doesn't help anyone except the people who are employed to make those things, as well as providing money to the government in sales taxes and the taxes that the employee pays on that income.
Why give someone a job when you can give them a handout? Why give them dignity in work when you can pat yourself on the back?
Can a corporate law attorney really be so clueless about how the economy works?
I'm not saying we should ultra-commercialize Christmas, of all things. The greatest gift that anyone can give on Christmas -- THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS -- is the gift of self in love, just as God gave Himself to the world in love on that Christmas morning.
But it really is shortsighted to once-again make this false and erroneous claim that handouts are the only form of "charity." One should indeed give financial assistance to those organizations who help those in need (almsgiving), but spending your money on buying things can be caritas in veritate (charity in truth) as well since it provides jobs to people.
Maguro...So take a cruise to the Panama Canal or another out of town destination for 3 weeks, but if you stay home what will all of the grandchildren think? Besides you'll deprive all of those Chinese from wondering why these ornaments, Manger Scenes, and lights are purchased here at Christ-mas.
I say....do what you want and eff all these people who are trying to tell you what to do..trying to guilt you into doing something you don't want to do.
They should all butt the hell out. Why is it that people think they have the right to advise you/tell you what to do? Who do they think they are
Some years we have a fresh cut tree with all the years of gathered ornaments. Other years we use the artificial potted tree that is stuffed up in the rafters and slam it out for form's sake.
Other years we do nothing..nada...zippo and don't really care.
Other years we are traveling and spending Christmas in other countries.
This year we are decorating the outside bushes and trees with stuff for the birds and deer to eat. Very satisfying for us to watch them. No decorations in in the house because we are too busy and it is too much work to get the Christmas stuff down from storage.
Who cares, as long as we are together, healthy, happy and warmly in love.
"Are you going to eat this tree, Ann? Or have ankle-biters around that like to chew on the lower branches?"
I read one of the articles Yin linked to, and it talked about the lead content of the dust under the tree. But then I did some research and it indicated that China doesn't put lead in its trees any more. (My tree is from China, as most, it seems, are.) But I don't really trust the Chinese to do what they're supposed to. They put melamine in milk!
Professor Bainbridge sounds like a barrel of laughs--no tree, no decorations, and no presents--just give all the money to charity. Yay! I bet he makes Christmas cookies with no sugar in them, like the baked goods my lefty sister-in-law brings over, which we just throw out after she leaves.
I buy my tree from a local tree farmer who's just scraping by. Isn't that at least as good as giving money to charity?
Ann, our tree DOES have that real-tree smell. When you first bring it in the house, it smells kind of like cat peepee, but good, somehow.
I looked at the box my tree came in and it's from China via a company in Wisconsin. My youngest is 10, but I don't put breakable ornaments (other than the glass pickle) on it because the cat still likes to try to climb it. He fit when he was a kitten, but no longer...
wv: bervani
I don't think Bainbridge foregoes the tree in order to get money to give to charity. He's a lawprof, and I've seen him blog about his sports car and his love of (presumably expensive) wine. Why not get an inexpensive car and give the difference to charity? Why not give up wine and give that money to charity? The charity idea is fine, but I think he's talking about giving up something he'd like to give up -- to simplify his life -- and he's earmarking the savings for charity, which is a way of preserving something Christmassy about it.
I hate stupid feel-good gestures like "let's not get a real tree," or "let's use corn for gasoline," or let's build a $50,000 electric vehicle that feels and rides like a $10,00 entry level vehicle."
Don't you get it? The market will sort the green stuff out. Just try to stay out of its way with your foolish, central-planning gestures.
Remember in "Mommie Dearest," when Joan Crawford requires her daughter to give all her birthday presents to the orphans?
Is that the present you like best?
Oh, yes!
Then that's the present you can keep.
We'll take the rest to the orphans who don't have anything. And tomorrow we'll write our thank-you notes...
But you see, I'm only keeping one present. All the rest I'm giving to the poor orphans.
Yes, I read about that in the newspapers. It's wonderful.
Anyway, what I like about Bainbridge's idea is that it's permission to free yourself of something you wish you didn't have to do. You don't!
Personally, I much prefer normal days to special days. When I was a kid, I liked the day *after* Christmas. Back to normal... with some new stuff.
I hate stupid feel-good gestures
Then there was the green Hanukkah initiative a few years ago, where they were urging people to not light the last Hanukkah candle in order to save the environment.
This may not be practical for everyone, but we bought a 20 acre field next to a river. We planted thousands of trees as a buffer zone and for a long term investment. Most were hardwood for timber, but we planted a small stand of Christmas trees. We have been harvesting one a year for many years. They are getting too big now, so we planted another 25 Christmas trees last spring. I can't see any downside to this scheme.
Speaking of firs...
I can't see any downside to this scheme
Other than an invitation that the EPA sue you for wetlands violations or depriving homes to some species of snails by planting the trees or not planting the trees or cutting the trees or not cutting the trees or whatever the hell the government wants to go after you for.
It sure sounds like Professor Bainbridge must be at that point where he makes enough money.
Somebody tell POTUS.
But you're right. Where did all these busybodies come from?
Is it possible to get a clean up on Aisle Bloomberg below? Holy Ritmo spam. The thread is practically worthless.
I grew up in San Diego, where every year, the local news shows the Fire Dept teaching people that a christmas tree is completely engulfed in flames in 4 seconds. You can't put a tree up before the 17th because it'll be brown by the 25th.
Now I live in MN. here, the trees stay green. in fact, even if you neglect them and never water them, they stay green, because they get cut about 3 days before you buy them, rather than 4 weeks. They smell nice, too. real trees are lovely.
Christmas Trees are a CROP. They are farmed. Planted, harvested, and replanted. Its not like they're clear cutting forests. Have you guys ever driven through the Carolina's?
In my housing area, they take the used christmas trees and 'mulch' them, and then use them to mulch around the trees and bushes in the common areas. The neighborhood smells so good after they finish. Its wonderful.
Professor Bainbridge apparently is at the age where receiving a present is more likely to excite thoughts of "Now where will I put this crap?" rather than "Oh goody!"
Although I'm sure he'd appreciate a nice bottle of wine.
Thanks for introducing me to Professor Yin's blog. Interesting and succinct.
GMay said...Is it possible to get a clean up on Aisle Bloomberg below? Holy Ritmo spam. The thread is practically worthless.
Agree. Not professional to make a remote diagnosis, but it looks like a nervous breakdown.
Ritmo's looking at nothing under the tree for him this year.
Back to the subject - I go artificial. Don't need the cats barfing up needles all over the house.
Count my vote on getting a real tree. It saved us more that's why we were able to afford to acquire leather repair in Massachusetts.
I voted for a real tree but I have a fake tree, too. My wife makes me. You have to pick your battles.
But I am going to send link to her.
You could buy a rosemary bush, decorate it for Christmas, then keep it by a bright window and use it throughout the year for cooking herb. Whole Foods had very nice ones for $10.00.
Can we have a choice for "Do what you damn please and don't worry abut it?"
One of my favorite commenter's happens to be traditionalguy.. what do you think my answer is going to be?
I could be accused of anything but disloyal is not one of them ;)
That goes to you all Althouse disloyal followers.. you know who you are.
The trashing of the Professor to me amounts to disloyalty.
yes i had a few drinks..
In order for me to dish Alhouse the way i have read here recently.. it will take a lot more than voting for the wrong president.. it will take a lot more than having an opinion.. it will take her kikinkg me out on my ass the way some o f us deserve.
I was away for awhile do to to a Fios fault, so I dont know what its been happening..
All I know is that my professor was being attacked so I'm here to stick up for her.
Thats more than waht my so called friend Trooper has been able to sum up.
I'm angry that I wasn't angry when I should have been angry.
sorry about that professor.
Meade was the only one defending Althouse yesterday..
I feel ashamed hat I stood idly by while she was being crucified.
LOYALTY..
look it up sometime.
Do you remember when you were with the Beatles ;)
you are supposed to read most previous post...
Admit it.. I had you going.. because I had myself going until I saw the Paul McCartney on Saturday Night Live post.. and I thought waht the fuck Am I getting exercised about?
its not like Althouse doesnt know waht we are capable of already.
I dont know whether to forgive and forget or remember and relive..
For me a great deal of the blog is to relive by remembering.
We will never forget.. remember?
A Time to Talk
When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'
No, not as there is a time talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.
Robert Frost
I love most people here..
I hate most people here when they get personal and they cant get pass it.
Looking at my own palm while i open it and close it open it and close it again..
I think I know myself.
Why should not we know ourselves as we think others have known us?.. it is in the bible i seem to remember..
Is that just because i told you i was drunk and that let you off the hook?
Me of myself I'm nothing..
I'm lucky if you have read this far.. All I know is life is wonderful and terrible without you at the same time.. and that I wish I could live for ever.. even if it only means to be alone without all of you to disturb and perturbe ;)
wv- fermelat - rotting milk.. i have no children
I'm serving community service.. my service is not the community for i'm anonymous.. the terrible.
I'm not in jail.. I'm not employed.. I'm terrible.
I have not killed.. but I have disobeyed.. i have 180 day to the community obey.
I doubt atheist could make good poets..
Call me drunk but I think I know what I'm talking about.
I have to go.. got to get up at 6:00 am to... the community service do.
Holy Ritmo spam. The thread is practically worthless.
Don't repond to her/him. Don't read what he/she posts and then you won't feel this need to respond. The girl/boy is here solely to say anything contrary to what is being discussed. Don't encourage and the problem might go away.
Fake trees are a sin against god and nature. Unless you're old.
While there is room in a free society for greenie posturing, it should stay away from Christmas. Those who decide not the get a tree shouldn't kid themselves that that act makes them environmentally sensitive.
When I was a child in Illinois in the 50s/early 60s and thru college we always put up our tree 2-3 weeks before Christmas to enjoy it and get in the Christmas spirit. Mom and I would take it down and box the decorations on New Year's day while watching the Rose Parade on TV just before the first Bowl games started. When first married and living in New Orleans we eschewed a tree and just did the wreath on door and trim branches, candles, pine-cones, etc, on fireplace mantel as we spent Christmas with my wife's family in Opelousas.
After we moved to Louisville and had a child we always had a monster 14' tree as we had 17' ceilings in our pre-Civil War Italinate home in "Old Louisville" on 3rd St. A bear to decorate, they always looked magnificent as we erected it in front of the 14' gold gilt-trimmed pier-mirror in either the living-room or the "sitting room" opposite across the hall. Both mirrors were flanked by narrow split-shuttered windows of equal height. At night, reflecting off the mirrors, it was a sight to see. I made the mistake of going out "in the woods" one year to cut a fresh one (of that size) instead of buying one on the lot. About had an MI dragging it a half-mile thru the snow/woods/brambles to the car. NEVER again.
Nowadays, spending equal time between N.O. and LA we put up a tree when in N.O for the fall/winter, but this year we are remaining here in LA for family medical reasons, so will skip the tree and eat out on Christmas Day.
Agree with all those who say do it how you like, but do a tree, as Synova said. Smart lady.
Ann Althouse said...
Fresh trees don't have the great smell anymore. It's been bred out of them or something.
You sound as if you're getting my sinus problems. Must be something about the part of the country from which we come.
(My tree is from China, as most, it seems, are.) But I don't really trust the Chinese to do what they're supposed to. They put melamine in milk!
Another reason to go natural.
PS And a Merry Christmas to you, too, Mr Meade, and your lovely wife.
My tree is fake because my brother-in-law is a fireman and unless we do so, he regales us with his latest house conflagration story (average 1-2 annually).
Actually, he tells us the fire stories regardless, come to think of it.
Our local hospice (only one, it's a small town) has an annual tree auction in the public gym. Various people and organizations doll up trees and the trees are sold, with the proceeds to the hospice. The trees are all "real," some garish, some tasteful, some charming. All done by volunteers. It's quite a lovely tradition.
Our family trees are from the auction. This year it's one we sponsored, and that my wife and some female friends decorated, all in honor of a friend who died last summer.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Professor Bainbridge.
Don't need the cats barfing up needles all over the house.
Our life got easier once we added a room to the house where we can put the tree and more importantly close the door so the cat can't get in.
but I don't really trust the Chinese to do what they're supposed to.
You know, I don't either.
We've got a real one. I like the smell and the needles...It's more for me, now that we're empty-nesters. I get to decorate it and my husband likes to take it down. Kind of a win/win for everyone.
p.s. For the first time, it fell over on Saturday. Kind of a mess, but I got it back up and there was only one ornament casualty.
Do what you want. Enjoy what freedoms remain.
Mad Man, when I was growing up, we had a cat that would climb the Christmas Tree every year. The initial cat climbing was one of the highlights of the holiday, especially for our dog, who would bark and go crazy with envy and joy.
Blessings, Lem.
I remembered reading this thread about the Winter of 69, when I was like The Professor at Law School getting exams done, and the winter was cold and lonely. My parents had made me support myself like Boehner did to teach me a lesson in depression era money appreciation. The landing on a cold and empty Moon had been the wonder 4 months earlier, but now there was not much to do a cold and empty campus after friends had gone home for the Holidays. Spending on a live tree was not in my budget. But driving home from a friend's at 11:30 PM on a cold and windy Christmas Eve, I spotted a tree sale Lot, that had been abandoned and the trailer gone leaving a few scraggly, short trees laying in the dust. So I stopped and got myself a free gift on Christmas Eve feeling blessed like Mary and Joseph that something was available for the poor on that cold winter night.As Jacob did, I have remembered that spot since then like an alter erected in my mind to remember meeting with God's grace there.
There is nothing wrong with a real tree. You support local farmers and they are nice enough.
A friend of mine gave me a pre lit white tree. I did not want it but my wife said put it up. So I did. Damn if it was not great. No smell, but trees only have that evergreen smell for a day.
As for no tree, PB has no kids. Why have the reminder of a tree to rub it in. As for the charitable thing, that is very good if it turns you on, but I do not see PB giving up expensive lamb chops, veal cutlets, and wine. And I suspect he still gets a gift for Mrs. PB (and he is not hocking his watch to do so).
I have done the live tree thing and planted it. That is okay, but you can only have the tree in the house for a short time.
I have gone to a national forest with a permit and cut my own. Fun for the walk in the woods with the kids, but the trees are not trimmed and tend to look Charlie Brownish.
I did the no tree thing with my girlfriend who was Jewish. Wait, I take that back, we actually did a little tree and a menorah. That was fun too.
It'd be much more authentically Christmasy to have a pile of old hay sitting in the living room.
But, as long as people pursue the true holiday spirit of both judging others and trying to please them, Christmas will be the same no matter how you decorate.
"Don't encourage and the problem might go away."
Good luck with that. Every once in awhile I'll indulge myself and antagonize it. It's cathartic in a way. Though I think I met my quota last night.
tradguy, that's a great story. Thanks for sharing it.
Is anything I do actually up to me anymore?
Even as a child, Christmas made me melancholy.
The feeling was perfectly captured by A Charlie Brown Christmas, first seen when I was four. Especially the music. When older, reading A Christmas Carol brought the same emotions.
So I cannot criticize what other folks do or don't do to mark the day or the season. The day carries terrible memories for some, to be sure. For others, it is an annual epiphany, and I am grateful when they make merry. Their laughter is a salve.
The only alternative tree treatment I like is the upside down tree. More room for presents. There are never enough presents.
Luther said the Christmas tree was a reference to the Garden of Eden, and the EVERGREEN expressed the infinity of God. I'm for the tree.
My parents would put the tree up on Christmas Eve, after the six kids had gone to bed. It made Christmas morning seem like the start, rather than then end of Christmas. We would leave it up until mid-January.
We now follow my wife's family tradition of putting the tree up several weeks before Christmas, then she usually takes it down on Dec. 26.
So Professor Yin is sort of the Paul Ehrlich of Christmas trees. I can't wait for his blockbuster on tree lead.
Every year since it came out, we listen to David Sedaris' Santaland Diaries. Pitch perfect.
One year we spent Christmas in Mexico and stayed in a hotel at a resort area for the season.
The lobby of the hotel had a minature Nativity scene about 6 feet square. It was like a model train diorama type of set up, with hills, pastures, little trees, miniture sheep goats and cows. On the top of one of the hills was the Stable and creche with a cyrstal star hanging over it.
Mary and Joseph were in the stable but the manger was empty...It wasn't Christmas yet. The path leading up the to stable had the three wisemen on their camels and with some donkeys.
Every day the Wise Men would get a bit closer and the animals were all moved around to get closer to the stables too.
We kids would love to come to the lobby in the morning and see how much progress had been made and think about how the people in the hotel had been working at night to make the changes.
On Christmas morning.....TA DAH!!! Baby Jesus was in the manger and all the animals and people in the diorama were gathered around peering into the stable. Very exciting!
Really... beats the heck out of a static Christmas tree and brought home the reason for the Christmas season....>Christ.
We now follow my wife's family tradition of putting the tree up several weeks before Christmas, then she usually takes it down on Dec. 26.
This shows how commercialism has completely permeated American Christmas. The Christmas season memorialized in The Twelve Days of Christmas starts on Christmas and runs through Epiphany. Traditionally the tree went up Christmas Eve, as in t-man's family, and stayed up till Three Kings Day.
Stores take down their decorations right away because the selling season is over. Why individuals and families follow the lead of Macy's, etc., puzzles me.
PatCA said...
So Professor Yin is sort of the Paul Ehrlich of Christmas trees.
Don't shoot the messenger. Professor Richard Maas discovered lead in fake trees; when Professor Yin read about this he discarded his tree.
DBQ your story reminded me of a LOL funny tale of Baby Jesus' streetcar ride in New Orleans. Loyola Univ, which fronts the St. Charles Ave. street-car line adj to Tulane always has a creche scene in front of the main Church which fronts the campus. For years until recently it was enclosed in glass circa mid 70s-90s. while previously it was not enclosed. The reason? A friend of mine was drunk one night and decided Baby Jesus needed to experience a streetcar ride. So he "led" the baby away and, cradled in his arms, gave him a streetcar ride the length of the St. Charles system...SEVERAL times. Showing him off to admiring and/or perplexed passengers all the way while carrying on an animated conversation with Baby Jesus and even chucking his chin occasionally. IIRC my friend even brought along one of the lambs from the scene for the ride to keep Baby Jesus company--even paid his ticket.
School authorities were not amused by Baby Jesus' absence..
Hence, the very next year the subsequent appearance of the glass enclosure. LOL!
Last year we took our tree down pretty early, because we had a slew of weekends that were busy all through January. One year we took it down on the 26th because we were leaving for a week+ after Christmas.
fls, that doesn't mean we've succumbed to commercialization. God will know whether we are celebrating His son's birth. Put your wagging finger away.
MadMan -- sounds like you weren't acting out of a sense that "Christmas is over."
PS: Apologies. I was rather inartful. My friend in the story above wasn't drunk--he was merely deeply "in his cups."
Kirby:
You (and Luther) are correct. The history of the Christmas tree is that it originated in Germany, in the middle ages, with public plays held on on Dec. 24 to teach about Adam and Eve, Original Sin and salvation.
Hence the tree (what tree is green in Germany in December?) was decorated with fruit (what fruit is often stored--to this day--to last through the winter) and discs of bread (i.e., like the Eucharist).
Thus the plays appear to have conflated the tree of knowledge of good and bad (with forbidden fruit that led to death) and the tree of life--which of course is what the cross is: the tree of death become the tree of life.
At some point, the plays got out of hand, church authorities put a stop to them, and folks started setting up "Paradise trees" (I read somewhere this term is still used in some parts of Germany; anyone know?) in their homes...later came ornaments, later came candles, later it came to Victorian England, then the U.S....and the rest is well known.
Bottom line: the Christmas Tree is the tree(s) of Eden: tree of knowledge and tree of life, wrapped up in one, prefiguring the Cross (traditionally called a "tree" even in the New Testament).
Christmas trees from China? Okay, artificial I can see, but not live ones. Why? Most of China is not the best growing areas for traditional confifers and trees are cheap here. I have seen plenty of trees shipped out (especially since cargo rates going in that direction are really low).
As for smell, that is more a factor of freshness. But it only seems to last a day or two, even when I go cut a tree myself from the woods or the local u-cut.
They do sometimes use Norfolk Island Pines for cut trees in Australia and the South Pacific and they have no smell.
I always thought the Christmas Tree, Yule log, misteltoe, etc., was from ancient times that Germanic tribes used to celebrate the soltice and that it eventually was adopted by Christians to celebrate Christmas.
But the whole Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge, then banishment from the Garden, with Jesus returning with the celebration of the Christmas tree, and then Easter with the new "tree" as the cross and resurection works well as religious symbolism.
Fr. Fox, a German article I just read online said that Lutherans put up Christmas trees in part to distinguish themselves from Catholics who set up cribs. But it goes on to say that Frederick the Great hung potatoes from his tree, so I'm not sure it's 100% credible
Luther and Gutenberg may have served as pointmen, but Mystery and Morality Plays along with Stained Glass were used in Europe before and after those two men made their mark, to convey the stories of the Bible to a general public who couldn't read, weren't allowed to read, had no books, and didn't understand Latin.
The tree is a prominent Symbol of Life in Jewish writing, recorded as early as Moses, long before Celtic traditions surfaced in historical records. Or Fredrick the Great used pototos as his decoration of choice.
Had Fred really been creative, he might have asked his jesters to carve faces of his enemies and other controversial characters into the potatos. Political Mr Potatoheads.
Fred:
Look it up. The actual--as distinct from the supposed--history of the Christmas Tree is not a secret. I admit it's been awhile since I read it...last Christmas in fact...but I'll be looking up again for a talk I'm doing next week.
Google "Paradise Tree" "Germany"
and "December 24" together...
Love this quote from an early worker with the Christmas tree industry: "...there is no reason why the joy associated with the Christmas evergreen may not be a means of arousing in the minds of children an appreciation of the beauty and usefulness of trees; and keen appreciation of the beauty and usefulness of trees is a long stop toward the will to plant and care for them (Arthur Sowder, US Forest Service, 1949)."
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