Yesterday I wrote about my affection for the Christmas carol “O Tannenbaum.” Today it seems fitting to reflect on evergreen trees as a symbol of the winter season. It’s customary at this time of year to take them hostage bring them into our homes, decorate them, and sing about them. But for some of us, decking the halls with fresh greens is a fir pas.
Door number 22 scratches a Yuletide itch.
December 22, 2025
The Evergreen is a symbol of life persevering in the face of a long, cold winter. Its fragrance is singularly invigorating, particularly indoors. It lends visual warmth and brings an atmosphere of freshness to the home. Unless, of course, pine is one of your worst allergies. *Raises hand*
While I love spending time with evergreen trees in the woods, singing their praises in German, and seeing them decorated at Christmastime, once inside my home their pungent fragrance sets my immune system ablaze. Because I wasn’t aware that I had this allergy until I was tested, my parents nearly killed me on an annual basis. Maybe that’s a little dramatic. But when you ‘re congested and wheezing, it feels that way.
The severity of my allergy came to light when I went for allergy testing. Trees and grasses were on my left arm. Animals and food were on my right. The conifer skin pricks lit up like, well, like Christmas. Oak trees turned out to be pesky too, but that’s only a problem if we sand the hardwood floors. My right arm is the subject for another door.
Prior to the tests we started to track the evergreen allergy on our own. My folks bought an artificial Christmas tree and used faux greenery garlands. I was breathing easily and enjoying Christmastime more. I could sing “O Tannenbaum” with sincerity. It was a relief to us all.
Some people think it’s a travesty to forgo a real Christmas tree. Having a real tree is a delight. So is breathing. If you’re blessed with the ability to do both at the same time, that’s awesome. For those of us who can’t, displaying an artificial tree allows us to enjoy tree trimming and placing gifts beneath its lovely, hypoallergenic branches while respiring freely. Win, win.
Whether your tree is real or artificial, the spirit of the evergreen’s enduring beauty during the depth of winter endures and stands, in our living rooms, as a symbol of persistence and strength. I think my faux fir does its inspiration proud.
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