December 19# : Look for an Evergreen Day

3 min read

2 years ago Robin

Take time to notice the vibrant colors and unique shapes of plants in your neighborhood, as a simple way to connect with nature!
Every year one thing remains the same around the holidays: people have to decide when going to go out and hunt down a Christmas tree!
Actually this day is about the last opportunity you have if you haven’t already gotten yours to ensure you have a Christmas tree and, even if you’ve already your tree for this year, this is a great opportunity to go out and familiarize yourself with the other types of Evergreens in your neighborhood.
Ok ok, you can always go for an artificial tree but, let’s be honest, there is nothing like the sight and scent of a freshly cut tree to get you into the real spirit of Christmas!

Look for an Evergreen Day was originally established by the National Arborist Association to create a day to appreciate the beauty of these trees when they are not only merely being bedecked with glittering lights and ornaments for holiday season.
Even in the depths of winter, these noble trees keep their foliage, providing that wonderful green and white contrast that is so representative of deep winter.
Evergreens have been essential in societies throughout the ages. Their apparent eternal nature, even in harsh seasons have made them the choice for religious practices and observances, due to their seemingly eternal nature even in a season of death.
For example, the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest were entirely reliant on the red cedar for multiple aspects of their culture. Whether they were making clothing, fishing line, ropes, or building their homes or canoes, the red cedar was vital a vital part of their lives.
Going back even further, most people have heard about how Socrates was made to drink a glass of hemlock tea, which he did with his normal unflinching nature. If you don’t know, hemlock is a type of evergreen with tiny pointy needles. So yes, even though the chances of you being in such a situation are quite slim, it is important that you can identify between evergreens!
And the first time that an evergreen tree was ever decorated was in 1510 in Riga, Latvia.
From the 18th century onwards, jingle bells, tinsels, ornaments, fairy lights, and garlands were being used for decorations.

Either way, the best way to celebrate Look for an Evergreen Day is to grab a book of local flora/fauna and head out to identify all the different types of evergreen plants that grow in your part of the world. There are literally thousands of different varieties from every place in the vegetable kingdom, so there are certain to be multiple examples in your local area!
Did you know, for example, that evergreen trees are found on every continent except in Antarctica?
And, as the name suggests, evergreen trees can even survive conditions of drought?
Of course, if you haven’t gotten your tree yet, then Look for an Evergreen Day is when it should happen, by understanding the difference between Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, and the dozens of other varieties of Christmas Tree available!