by Chrystal Mahan

Created on: December 15, 2010

When I was younger I would have told you that real Christmas trees are better. Nothing beats the smell of the pine tree filling the house through the holiday.

Over the years my parents, more so my mother, decided to purchase a fake tree to help save time, and maybe even some money. Despite the fact it was fake, she made it look really good. My mother has always had a fake tree since that day on.

A few years ago when I was introduced to my boyfriend’s family, they believed in family tradition. Despite the fact his parents are divorced; they still went to the tree farm every year. When my boyfriend was younger, his parents and grandparents would all gather together at the same tree farm, pick a tree, load it to their car and then hang around for the holiday treats. This particular tree farm has games for the kids, a hay ride, a bit of crafts and when you are all done with that you get to enjoy nice hot cocoa and homemade donuts. The flavors vary for each holiday. For Halloween they grow pumpkins, so the treat is apple cider and apple crumble donuts.

This will be our third Christmas together. The first year I had no desire to venture out into the blizzard that appeared to pick out his Christmas tree. He was rather bummed. When I arrived at his house later in the week I could see nothing but tree in his living room. He was newly single and had no decorations. He did his best for his daughter, who is there on weekends.

I remembered that smell. But, something new came that night. Sneezing. Fits of sneezing all night long. Once I left, I was fine. After that, every time I went to his house that holiday season I would break out into bouts of sneezing and would get all itchy.

I guess over the years I had developed an allergy to Michigan Christmas trees. I don’t see how they differ from Oklahoma, but it was apparent it was a problem.

Last year we went ahead and kept up family tradition and went to the tree farm for his daughters sake, but we did not bring home a real tree. By this time I had moved in and his mother was nice enough to give us her fake tree as she had opted to by one already pre-lit. She gave us a wonderful tree and I decorated it with all my decorations, Green, Silver and Irish.

His daughter thought that was the best thing ever.

My nose appreciates it.

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