From My In-Box: I was disappointed and, frankly, annoyed, to hear that the city is calling the Christmas Tree simply a 'tree'...
Sam Adams
Call it what you want; it still looks great.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mary
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 6:04 PM
To: Commissioner Sam
Subject: ? Tree
Dear City of Portland, I was disappointed and, frankly, annoyed, to hear that the city is calling the Christmas Tree simply a 'tree'. As long as that is your policy, then we simply won't spend any money in Portland. I guess I can at least thank you for saving us the trip downtown!
Mary & Jim
Tigard
Posted by Sam Adams on December 11, 2005
(16) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (2)
Filed Under Blog, Front Page
Comments by site visitors
Just because Pioneer Square calls it simply a "tree" does not mean that that is the city policy. I'm baffled at boycotting downtown because Pioneer Square calls their Holiday tree a tree.
Posted by: Anna | Dec 12, 2005 4:28:53 PM
I hate to see valuable Tigard dollars leaving downtown. I have a deal for Mary and Jim: I'll call it a Christmas Tree if they tip more than 10% at Macaroni Grill or wherever it is the tourists are eating these days when they visit Portland.
Posted by: apcow | Dec 12, 2005 4:39:15 PM
Who gives a crap!?! If you want to call it a Christmas tree, call it a Christmas tree. If you don't, don't! Why people waste valuable breath and key strokes on nonsensical issues like this is beyond me. There are issues out there that are so much more important. Besides, the stupid thing will be gone in a few weeks anyway, and we can put this idiotic debate to bed for another year.
Posted by: Chris | Dec 12, 2005 7:15:00 PM
"There's glory for you!" says Humpty Dumpty. (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There)
Next year I suggest we just call the thing "a nice knock-down argument" and be done with it.
I do like the suggestion lately in the Tribune that we go back to multicolored lights when we decorate it. Something in the Zeitgeist says that colors will look warm and nostalgic where the all-white look (while still good on the street dare-I-call-them? trees) on the glorious subject it's merely starting to look dated.
Maybe we could go with those new LED lights that use so much less electricity. Please avoid the red-green-yellow-but-no-blue variety though.
Posted by: doretta | Dec 13, 2005 3:12:55 PM
Actually, cutting down trees, bringing them indoors and decorating them is a Middle-eastern custom predating Christ. The practice was condemned in the bible, and by the Christian Church for centuries. Apparently the American Christian use of a tree seems to date from 1851. Lots of information at this site, for instance:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm
Posted by: Doug Klotz | Dec 13, 2005 11:04:44 PM
Just to add to Doug's thought....
Every year around Christmas the History Channel airs an excellent program called "The History of Christmas". They usually run it several times. It is a fascinating account of how the holiday evolved into its current form and I highly recommend it.
Posted by: Dave Lister | Dec 14, 2005 8:18:52 AM
I hope May & Jim really do "take back Christmas" (they appear to be of that persuasion) by getting it out of the malls, out of the town square, and putting it back in their church and living room. Frantically spending money in Tigard (or anywwhere), or focusing/threatenting not to spend money doesn't celebrate the Christmas that I learned about!!!
Paul
Posted by: Paul | Dec 15, 2005 6:51:24 AM
wait a minute--- they called it a tree? if its not a tree, then what is it?
Posted by: aaron | Dec 15, 2005 1:11:20 PM
It is sad for me to see another area bowing to the Political Correctness of keeping Christ out of the day....call it a 'tree', an 'xmas tree', a 'holiday tree', etc. It to me is akin to calling my wife my 'Significant other' and it just minimizes what she is to me and the dismisal of the name 'Christmas Tree' minimizes the significants of the day.
Posted by: Steve | Dec 15, 2005 1:15:33 PM
Mary & Jim,
First of all, it's a tree. And, since it's all festive and sparkling, doesn't it kinda goes without saying that it's purpose is to celebrate the season? Also, isn't this a time of year that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people? So, what's so wrong with keeping it label-free? What's cool about no label is that people who are not from Tigard can enjoy "tree" in their own way, without whatever label you wanted to put on it. What was it you think it should be called, anyway? Santa Tree? Jesus Tree? Tigard Tree?
Y'all remind me of a child who isn't gonna eat their dinner for some silly reason, like, it's not shaped like batman or something... cool, don't eat, the only one who's miserable is you.
Have a self-centered kwanzanukkahristmas, er whatever.
Enjoy your money,
Skip Jimson
Posted by: skipjimson | Dec 16, 2005 3:57:27 PM
It's not a tree, trees are alive.
That was a tree, until the City of Portland ripped it from the safety of it's forested home, separated it from it's brother and sister trees, and piled it on a truck like so much firewood.
Y'all are a bunch of tree murderers, and don't think the trees aren't going to remember who killed trees and who didn't. Funny how most of you don't appreciate the forest unless it's lying dead in your living room.
Merry Tree Killing,
Greenie Scrooge
Posted by: Green Scrooge | Dec 20, 2005 3:37:09 AM
It is interesting to discover here that people were dragging dead trees home to decorate long before the birth of Christ. "What would would Jesus do?" He probably would give his $60 to the poor, rather than spend it on seasonal home decor.
Posted by: Frank Ray | Dec 20, 2005 10:13:00 AM
Hello Greenie Scrooge. Now, I might be stretching, but possibly you might be one to eat granola and like your oats in your bran. Now how does that one stalk of oats feel when it is selected to become your meal while the adjoining stalk is left for fallow? A cone is to a tree as a kernel is to a stalk.
Posted by: Jerry | Dec 23, 2005 11:08:01 PM
Post your comment
Please note: your email address, although required to post, will not be visible. We remove inappropriate or offensive content, and content deemed improper by State and City election and ethics law. The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of the office or the City of Portland.
But if they don't come downtown, they'll miss out on the big Lars Larson Gets His Own Religion Wrong Extravaganza 2005.
Posted by: The One True b!X | Dec 11, 2005 6:29:43 PM