Bear and Bunny Decorating the Christmas Tree

About this drawing

A bear decorating the tree with friends is a scene repeated in millions of homes every December. But not all trees are the same: some come from a farm and others from a factory.

The first artificial Christmas trees appeared in nineteenth-century Germany. They were made from goose feathers dyed green and attached to wire branches. One reason was growing worry about cutting down so many evergreens for the holidays.

Other materials followed. In the twentieth century, companies made trees from brush bristles, then shiny aluminum, and finally the plastic versions most common today. They last for years and never drop needles on the carpet.

Real trees have their own perks. Most are grown on tree farms where new seedlings are planted each season, and after the holidays many towns collect them to turn into mulch. Real or artificial, the best part is still decorating it together. Some families even mix both, keeping an artificial tree indoors and a small living tree in a pot that gets planted in the yard after the holidays. That way it can keep growing for many years. Whatever you choose, the ornaments, lights and laughter are what make the tree feel like home.

• christmas tree
• teddy bear
• bunny
• christmas
• cozy