Letter from Publisher

Every year when I bring out my spindly little birch tree and two little tabletop trees for the holiday season, I think back to how it all started. When I was very young, my parents used to take me to get a fresh-cut tree every year for the holidays. Now, one would think that a young child would be thrilled with this activity, but not me. I would get so upset that we were contributing to the death of a tree that I would fuss and cry every year. One year came when my parents finally said no more, and that was the end of the fresh-cut trees. It was an artificial tree from then on.

Fast-forward 30 years—my husband’s parents came to visit us on our horse ranch, and we decided we would go out into the forest on our property and chop down a tree, supposedly a fun event that we could share as an afternoon outing. Well, I had forgotten the heartache I felt way back when I was young, but it came back with a vengeance!

Picking out a tree and ending its life wasn’t sitting well with me at all, even as an adult. So, instead of picking a beautiful, healthy tree growing in a space where I knew it could flourish for years to come, I insisted that we choose a tree in a crowded space with other trees, where removing it would allow more room for the others to grow. It was a “Charlie Brown” tree of sorts, but it was the best I could do, and it did look beautiful once we decorated it (at least I thought so!). Needless to say, that was the last fresh-cut tree to enter our home, and I adore my little fake birch and its two tabletop friends every holiday season.

For those of you who still love the smell and feel of a fresh-cut tree, don’t despair. What I didn’t know growing up was that some trees are grown specifically for the holidays, and that is their purpose. It’s just a matter of preference on our part.

A very Happy Holiday season to all of you. Please, always feel free to contact me with comments, suggestions or questions. This is your magazine—enjoy!