Choosing the Christmas Tree

Choosing the Christmas Tree is a little bit more straightforward than it used to be when the boys were young. The tree is still important, for sure, but it doesn't need to be quite as big these days.

George gets home from university later today and, even as a 19-year-old, he'd be most miffed if he didn't get to be in on dressing the tree.

I took this picture before realising the lens was still smeared from saltwater in yesterday's dowsing. Oh well, sorry about that. I think the rings here symbolise the noughts that the Christmas tree farmer will be adding to his profits.

I notice the trees were all trading hands for cash with no receipts. I'm sure that every single sale will be declared to the customs and revenue, just as I'm sure that the central Europeans engaged for this one busy month will be complying to the letter of UK employment laws. We might not be looking at a white Christmas but the black economy looks as healthy as ever.