I
All Christmas trees are 'real' Culture Shock
The point I’m trying to make is timely with the n the early aughts (2008-2014-ish), my opening of our new Chick-fil-A and the rock star friends and I all blogged about life and love. mayhem it created. I want everyone to remember I hate that we fell out of that habit of regular back 10 or 15 years ago. We did not have very writing because it is an amazing time capsule many restaurant options at all, and truth be of our lives before Instagram. I know what really told, we did not have many chain restaurants. In happened. We had desk jobs and goofed off a lot high school, we drove 45 minutes to Auburn to of the time. We had constant massive email chains specifically eat at Chick-fil-A and Checkers, and with 20 people on them (this was before iPhone yes, we drove to Birmingham because we loved group text, mind you), and our G-Chats were Cheesecake Factory. rapid fire. Then we got busy jobs that paid more. I am so incredibly proud of the growth and Life happened. progress our town has made – on U.S. Route One of the more memorable blog posts was a debate between my good friend, George Stegall, Lacey Howell 280, downtown and our whole Lake Martin area in general. Dadeville, you are looking awesome and myself, regarding what is better: artificial or too. The landscape has changed real Christmas trees? over the years, but the heart of In the last 10 years, my this small town has not. I am husband, John, and I have always very thankful this year for my bought real trees. And yes, friends and my community they have been a pain when we because they truly are my deconstructed them. family. At that time, however, I Full disclosure, I am looking traveled a lot for work and had at the glittery gold tinsel tree a roommate who worked all I bought this year instead of a the time, too. Plus, we spent real tree. I stuffed pink ostrich Christmas at home in Alexander feathers in it because I was City, not in Birmingham, where going for a Vegas showgirl tree. we were living. We were excited And I love that George Stegall about our pre-lit $25 tree from will think it is the tackiest thing Walmart, and George was he has ever seen. To bring flabbergasted (mostly grossed out) it home, this is how I ended by our decision. He said it was not that 2008 blog post. Merry really a Christmas tree unless it Christmas, y’all. was real. I think he just thought In conclusion, no one tree is we were tacky. better or worse than the other. George and I are both pretty To each their own, as we so opinionated, but once he realized often like to say in the humble most of our friends and parents, little village of Alexander at the time, were on the artificial City. Does anyone remember tree train, he quickly declared that Charlie Brown’s Christmas it must be an Alexander City thing tree? Sure, who doesn’t? It (George went to Homewood High was not more than a branch School). – small, weak, under-watered, Well, his list of Alexander City and it looked like it might catch things was long, and looking back on fire. Charlie’s tree taught us on it, I laugh because they are all A Vegas Showgirl that it is not the size, shape or make of the tree, but the love true. Christmas that goes into the tree itself that matters. Let us all fill our Glittery gold tinsel and pink ostrich trees with love this year and Joy to World! n Fake Trees feathers make Peace. n Chain Restaurants for a fabulous tree n How Alexander this year. ~ Lacey Howell is a recovering English major from Auburn Citians pronounce the word, who now lives on Lake Martin, sells real estate, rides horses and baccalaureate (Bacc-a-LAR-e-ute) loves good wine. Follow her on Instagram @ LaceyHowell and n Chimney Rock jumping on her Facebook page. n Front hugging 50 Lake Martin Living
