Christmas Tree Magic

(photo http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=223106)

Have you put up your Christmas tree yet? This tradition dates back to 14th century Eastern Europe and comes to the US from Germany and England.

Though Christmas trees have been controversial--are they pagan or Christian? Are they environmentally friendly? Should they be real or artificial?--they never fail to delight.

Our entire state celebrates by decorating trees at the Capitol. My colleagues and I got a chance for a quick tour this month. Each tree is decorated by a town or organization, with ornaments depicting a certain theme.

Some towns celebrating special anniversary years have town families' pictures on their ornaments, such as the tree from Bristol. The Operation Military Kids tree has ornaments made from military dog tags. Even the tree toppers go far beyond the typical angel or star. The tree from the town of Claremont, in the northeastern part of the state, has cattails on top, representing the slough country surrounding the town.

The spectacular South Dakota tree was decorated by the SD State Historical Society and commemorates the Capitol's 100th anniversary. My colleagues and I appreciated the creativity of our fellow state citizens and were impressed by the splendor of rows and rows of trees. See more here.

Why the wonderment? Maybe it's the oddity of seeing a tree indoors in the dead of winter. Maybe it's the beauty of the ornaments. Or maybe it's the glow of the lights.

When my brother & I were kids, a family friend always invited us to her home when she had decorated her tree. She'd turn off all the house lights, and we'd ooh and aah at the lights on the tree, especially transfixed by the bubble lights.

Outdoor Christmas tree lights are just as awe-inspiring. Our city creates Winter Wonderland at Falls Park each December, decorating over 200 trees! In this cold, dark land, those lights are a warm, welcome sight. See it here.

Whether your tree is up yet or not, whether it's more "Charlie Brown" than "House & Garden," grab a cup of tea or hot chocolate, and enjoy this tribute to Christmas trees. Merry Christmas!



What is your favorite Christmas tree decoration?

Deck the Halls

The halls of the elegant South Dakota Capitol in Pierre are decked with with almost 100 Christmas trees, turning the marble interior of a government building into a wonderland.

The grand tree this year is a stately 54 ft. Black Hills Spruce from near Deadwood.

The trees are decorated by community and civic groups, and even families. Each tree is decorated in a way that represents the group. The Sinte Gleska University tree, for example, had a red tailed hawk as the tree topper and a star quilt patterned tree skirt. The tree sponsored by firefighters had ornaments representing firefighting tools. Children from Laura B. Anderson school made paper bumblebees to hang on the tree. Family trees featured ornaments with generational family pictures.



These trees show the state's diversity, creativity, and festive spirit. The trees' decorations indicate what's important to each group and what makes them special.

What do your decorations say about you? What kind of creative decor reflects your personality and heritage?