Every first week of a month, the monochrome madness by Leanne Cole has a specific theme. For Advent, she gave us a specific theme for each week. This week we have “Santa or Elves”.
Here, we don’t have elves for Christmas. And, we don’t have Santa Clause bringing the presents for Christmas. Instead, we have a similar idea. It’s the Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) for some people, while others have the Christkind (Christ child). Both of them are supposed to come to every childs house and set up the Christmas tree in the living room unnoticed by anyone. The parcels are put below the christmas tree, a soft christmas music is played and a small bell calls the kids in. All of these happens in the early evening of December 24th. Somewhere around 4, 5 or 6 p.m, depending of the age of the kids. But, always after sunset.
So, I don’t have any elves for you. 😦
I also don’t have a Santa. Sorry. But, I have a wooden Christmas Man 🙂
I found him a few years ago on my way in a rural area, where they grow Christmas trees. In the above image, you can see a field of baby spruces meant to become a christmas tree as well as a field with spruces, a little older, meant to become paper.
Unfortunately, christmas trees are kind of popular here. The christmas tree has a very long tradition here. The oldest documented christmas trees are from the early 16th century (1521). Although, many families set up artificial trees, almost always naturals trees become Christmas trees in the houses, office building, churches, government buildings and public p. Usually spruces, in the meanwhile very often caucasian firs. They are cut with about 1,80m hight and cost about 30€ each. For only a few days up to one or max two weeks, they have had to grow 8 – 12 years. Killed as a kid. In the wild they would have grown for several hundred years and would become 50 m high, About 29 million trees are killed that way each year here.
Instead, go and buy pine sprays for your house and decorate them. So, you also have the green and the smell. But, don’t kill a tree. Or, you might set up palm tree branches, to stay closer to the text of the bible that way.
Nevertheless – Have a peaceful Advent!
Take care!
MyBlog - solaner 
A lot of the trees cut for Christmas are grown especially for that purpose and wouldn’t have existed otherwise. I don’t think people go in the forest and chop trees down anymore as they are protected. This year, we are celebrating Christmas in Alsace in our motorhome and have bought a small artificial tree with lights already built in: it looks very pretty!
I hope, the weather is with you. I guess, a motorhome could become a very cold home in a hard winter.
Yes, many firs wouldn’t exist, if they would’t be dedicated to become Christmas trees. But, in that case a regular forest could exist in the same place. A home for deers, foxes, badger, wild boars and all the other animals usually living in a forest. Not mentioned all the different birds.
Very well, Santa and Christmas tree forest! 🙂
🙂 Thanks, Pirkko!
He looks like a Santa from Easter Island.
Yes, you’re right, Cybele. It really looks like a maoi 🙂
😀
I like your Christmas man .. Pine trees grow so quickly in NZ .. We have our own at Frog Pond 😊
pine trees are growing quickly here, too. But, firs grow even faster. Thus we have many monocultures. There’s a certain kind of farmers, who specialized in growing firs for making paper from the wood. These forests don’t have many wild animals. There’s also a very small variety on other plants growing there. And, these areas are in high risk to be cut by the wind. That’s because their roots don’t go deep in the soil, but they spread out short unter the surface instead. Having some firs and pine in a forest ist nice. But, a whole forest is dark and cold. And the older twigs are tangled, to let nobody pass (expect very small animals)
Thank you for that info 😊
you’re welcome, Julie!