My daughter and I had to go to Kmart a couple of weeks ago and we noticed that Kmart has begun putting up their Christmas displays. (I took the picture on Labor Day). However, the display itself raised a few questions. One is, really? In September? I always thought that Christmas displays went up in late November. Secondly, penguins and Faux-snow Christmas trees? Seriously? Who wants a Christmas tree, with some kind of ugly spray paint on it?
Nevertheless, I'm from Michigan, where we have Christmas tree farms all over the place, (at least in West Michigan). When I worked at plant nurseries in California, I unloaded thousands of trees from refrigerated trucks during the Christmas season. When I moved to Maui, I worked at Lowes and sold Christmas trees from refrigerated shipping containers. Why do we celebrate Christmas with dead trees? Why are coniferous trees brought to Hawaii during the Christmas season? I can understand enjoying Christmas, the kids love it, and it's a nice break from work and school. But, isn't it a German or Scandinavian tradition to have a Fir tree in the house? The legend is that the Christmas tree represents the holy trinity. Of course, no-one knows that for sure, and, when in doubt, print the legend! I won't even go into more of the legends or myths about the Christmas tree, except to add my own. I think they brought the Christmas tree inside to repel fleas. During the 7th centuries, houses were riddled with fleas and the coniferous trees were brought inside during the winter to repel these biting, disease carrying bugs. Print that legend, I dare you!
But, why are there reindeer, penguins, and little Chinese-made "snow villages" in Hawaii? Can't we come up with our own images of Christmas? Can't Santa wear board shorts and ride a magical surf-board to deliver presents? Instead of fake Christmas trees, can't we have Christmas Ti bushes, Coconut trees or Breadfruit? Breadfruit already supplies it's own ornaments! Instead of poinsettias, we can have dry taro in pots.
Every time we import more and more plastic trees, and dead, frozen Christmas trees, we import more and more garbage. I personally have seen yellow jackets in the Christmas tree containers, which are so tightly packed, there is no way that the inspectors could find them, unless they unloaded all the trees. Any time that we import dead trees, we open ourselves up to new infestations of insects. And that is a Christmas "gift" we do not want (see Bee Mite in Hawaii article).
Christmas Archives
Christmas Tree Shipping Regulations
Wasps in Christmas Trees
Bee Mite in Hawaii
Rob Report/Vince Mina on Bees
Don't forget to go to the "Bee Talks," two more are scheduled, 6-8 on Thursday, Sept. 25: Kihei Charter School auditorium and
Wednesday, Oct. 1: The Studio, Haiku Cannery.
Perry Como in Hawaii:
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