Xmas is for Tree Lovers, not Tree Killers

It's that time of year again. Christmas lights adorn the brownstones in my Brooklyn neighborhood, and from their lighted windows come cheery glimpses of lovingly-decorated Christmas trees.

But not in my home.

My fiance, an avid gardener and nature lover, has banned the tradition in our abode. Why? Well, there's the issue of messy pine needles that must be vacuumed up. But the real issue is this: arborcide.

Each year, as the holidays draw closer, a conversation along these lines takes place.

Me: Honey, can we get a tree this year? Just a small one?

Fiance: Don't you find something strange about celebrating Jesus' birth by slaughtering millions of innocent trees?