O Christmas tree....your leaves are so unchanging...

Imagine you buy a live, pre-cut Christmas tree from a tree farm near your house.  You put the tree up for a couple of weeks.  You are in a hurry to get it out of the house, and instead of taking the tree out of its base, you quickly put the entire decoration on your outside deck to save time.  The tree sits, in its stand, in the elements, unwatered by you.  How long will the tree last?


According to one website I found, a well-maintained live tree could last up to five weeks (http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees/selection.cfm)  I wonder whether one would consider a tree, already cut, out in the natural elements, "well-maintained?"


I would like you to take a look at two pictures.  While you are looking at these pictures, I'd like you to ponder this question:  Do these branches belong to a tree that is dead or alive?

Indeed, these look like live branches, do they not?  Perplexing.  

This tree was purchased in early December, already cut, to use as our Christmas tree.  We placed it in a stand and it sat decorating our family room for about three weeks until some family arrived.  We needed the space where the tree was, so I quickly took the decorations down.  The tree had been sitting in front of the patio doors to the deck.  My brother-in-law opened the door and swung the whole thing just outside.  As it snowed throughout the winter, it was lovely to see the branches covered in white.

Now, our Midwest weather is starting to warm.  Spring has just arrived.  And our Christmas tree sits, still in its stand on our deck, more alive and green than it ever was at Christmastime.  Strange?  I think so.

I wonder if it will continue to thrive without our help.  It certainly seems to be a resilient tree.  My husband plans to use it for next Christmas.  I'm not sure I truly believe it will last that long.  For now, though, it will continue to sit on our porch.  I wonder what the passersby think of our deck decoration.