A Note From Tom: December 1st, 2011
Hey, everyone!
Wow! Can you believe it!? Just three and a half more weeks ‘til it’s CHRISTMAS! Man! How did it get here so fast?! That’s not a lot of time for all you Santas out there! But it IS a long time for all you Christmas trees! Hate to tell you this but, I read that real, cut Christmas trees really aren’t supposed to go past a little over four weeks in your house. If yours is already up, promise you won’t keep it past Christmas ‘til New Years, PLEASE!
Jeremiah apparently wasn’t a huge fan of the whole Christmas tree thing. I don’t mean to be all Scrooge-y, but check this verse out…
““Do not learn the ways of the nations…they cut a tree out of the forest…They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter…they can do no harm nor can they do any good.” (Jer. 10)
I’m not sure what that’s all about, but maybe he would have felt different about a fake tree.
The biggest issue is letting your tree get too dried out. Christmas trees cause 250 fires and do $13.8 million in damages every year! The New York City fire commissioner has a fake one. "I just didn't feel comfortable with a real tree in my house," he said.
So you have to keep it fresh and green as long as possible! The NYC fire department offers these suggestions…
1. Run yer hand over the branches. If too many needles fall off, fagetaboutit
2.Keep da bucket fulla water.
3. Sing Christmas carols around your tree.
Actually, that suggestion comes from me! It’s not actually going to help your tree, but Christmas singing and praising … not the “Frosty, “Rudolphy” ones but the solid carols, like “Good Christian Men Rejoice!”…Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”…”God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen!” (or is it, “…Ye Merry, Gentlemen”…where does that comma go?)…O Come, All Ye Faithful!”,,,those awesome, praise-filled carols…will keep YOU from drying out and wilting during the holidays!
In Psalm 92, it says…
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night… I sing for joy at what your hands have done…(Ps. 92.1-4)
And here’s what singing does for you…
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon…will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green… (Ps 92.12-14)
So, to stay “fresh and green” all Christmas long, keep Christmas songs and praises in your heart!
And water in your bucket!