Boughs of Tradition
Quoting one of America’s eminent sages, Clark Griswold (from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation), “The Christmas tree is one of the greatest symbols of the Spirit of the Family Christmas, being around the hearth and home surrounded by kith and kin.”
The 2020 Pfister Family Christmas Tree
Whether seen in the works of Currier and Ives or Thomas Kinkade or the iconic painter of American Life, Norman Rockwell - when family and Christmas are the central theme, a Christmas tree is usually found somewhere on the canvas. In days past, the selection and cutting down of the perfect tree was usually an all-day affair that was directed by dad… with final selection by mom and the most interested child.
Usually, at least one child would show varying degrees of interest, while the others preferred another wagon ride or answer for their driving question, “Are we done yet?”
In our family, both of the boys enjoyed the yearly adventure. And we’re fortunate that, in their early years, grandma and grandpa would join looking for a tree of their own. Our family procession of three generations, going out across the rolling hills of Shreve Ohio amongst hundreds of various ages and varieties of pines, usually with a sprinkling of snow, had to look from afar like a Rockwell canvas!
Each year, it became more difficult to round up the troops for our Christmas tradition; but I must implore all of you with small children, just do it! The memories will warm your heart for a lifetime and the kids will actually look back, a few years later, and admit it was pretty cool and that they didn’t fully grasp the emotional gravity of the experience until it nurtured in their souls for a while.
But with today’s fast-paced life style, the percentage of natural trees being decorated I’m sure has been dropping, and the artificial forest has been on the rise for years. We have two artificial trees that, yes, are a breeze to erect, complete with built-in lights. But our family room has the natural tree as the main family centerpiece. I’ll admit, I have complained about the time, effort, and mess involved with a natural tree. And it’s dad who does most of the watering twice a day; but every morning I look at the tree and fondly remember our family outing.
We are blessed in Medina County to have so many options available to us for securing a natural tree.
It’s funny when I talk to patients about getting their Christmas trees… most families have a “special” place that, come heck or high water, it’s where they’re going! Our family has gone to Boyert’s and Petiti’s, but our favorite has to be The Pine Tree Barn in Shreve. Remember, I was a biology major at the College of Wooster and many field study projects were done in Shreve swamp. Finding this beautiful farm - that today has furniture, floor coverings, wall hangings, and at least three interior designers on-location, along with a quaint old-fashion restaurant in an 1868 Dutch bank barn - was truly a treasure. Horse-drawn sleighs take you and your family, with hand saw, out to drop-off points depending on whether you want Fraser Fir, White Pine, Canaan Fir, or Blue Spruce. And another tractor and wagon will come by and pick up your chosen treasure and take it back to the barn. Yes, that’s right, you don’t have to be Clark Griswold and risk a heart attack dragging it back to the car!
There is usually a one to two hour wait to get into the restaurant, so we would put our name in and then go out and get the trees. You know I love to eat… the chicken pesto is to die for, as is their peppermint hot chocolate! But the dessert de resistance is their lemon muffins. If you don’t have enough room after your entrée or you don’t have time to stay for dinner, please, you must take a pre-packaged four-pack home. Next morning, 20 seconds in the microwave with butter or honey and coffee, it’s biblical!
If you’re looking for the last tree stand you’ll ever buy, check out their cast iron Amish made three-legged wonders. I bought the medium size, 35 pounds, for trees up to 12 feet. The largest, for trees up to 16 feet, I think you drag it behind the jeep, at 50 some pounds. It is totally water proof and, after ten years, looks good as new.
To the young parents who are reading this, or the soon-to-be parents, let me suggest one more family tradition you may want to begin. No, you need to begin…
I didn’t start out a believer… it was my wife’s family tradition… but today, after 30 years of collecting them, Vacation Destination Christmas ornaments have a value. It sounds hokey and you must place them in your carry-on to get them home safely, but years later, every ornament on our tree can immediately reconnect me to that trip with the kids, at that age. It’s truly heartwarming as the boys decorate the tree, each with their own favorite ornaments, and… at the same time… chatting about what they remembered about that particular trip!
We spend the good part of a Sunday afternoon decorating the tree and traveling around America as we reminisce our family’s past adventures. Each ornament is like a time capsule that holds fond memories of good times with great friends and distant family members who may no longer be with us, but their memories are forever captured in that glass orb. Photo albums are best for remembering the past, I agree, but Christmas ornaments add another loving dimension to this special family time as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
This year, our family tree is up and decorated. We had a great time doing it and in no way did the pandemic affect this part of the Pfister Family Christmas.
This weekend, get out and start your Family Christmas Tradition in whatever way makes sense for you and yours. Do it while you are able. It’s like exercising - the first step is the hardest. You may meet resistance, but persevere! These are the emotional memory strands that will be woven together throughout life, to form the fabric we call family love!
Merry Christmas!
- Dr. Pfister