Unique Christmas Tradition

Frank Granieri

Every year for the last 40 years after Christmas as I’ve taken down our tree I cut the bottom of off in a slice about an inch wide and saved it.

The idea occurred to me the year that my first child was born. I was taking down our Christmas Tree and getting ready to throw it away. I found that I was saddened at the thought of getting rid of something that had been a part of our Christmas that year.

So at the spur of the moment I thought well… what if I cut off a piece and save it. That way I wouldn’t really be throwing away something that we enjoyed so much during Christmas. It almost felt that the tree had somehow become part of our family and that I was saying goodbye to it forever. I didn’t like that thought. 

So a took a saw and cut off the actual bottom piece. It had been sitting in water for over a month so I discarded that piece. Then I cut off another “more fresh” slice about an inch thick and saved it. I didn’t think to mark it until the next year when I realized that it would be confusing just to keep pieces without marking the year so … I have cut a slice and marked the year every year since then. 

Now during the Christmas Season which in our house runs from Thanksgiving through to the Epiphany on January 6th we have slices of Life spread all around the house. 2001 might be in the office or on the bar, 1987 and 1074 might be on the mantle together and so on … Just as reminders of our time together. 

It then occurred to me that there is almost nothing except for photos that we have from each year. Cutting this piece from the tree is uniquely ours. 

I encourage you to try it and start a tradition of your own. You can even add shellac to preserve them better. I mark the dates with an indelible marker but you can use a wood burning tool among other things if you like. I even thought of the idea of writing a memorial to each year to go along with the individual piece to make things even more interesting.

If you decide to do this I would love to know about it. Write me at Frank@EverybodyLovesItalian.com 

Hope you enjoy the video below and Buon Natale

All the best

Frank

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