Anomalies of French life, redux: the chemical Christmas tree

For some reason, many French people prefer chemically sprayed Christmas trees to real ones. I don't know why this is, and can only think that it is some lapse in their usually keen judgment, along with drinking UHT milk instead of fresh and subjecting job candidates to handwriting analysis. 

I was excited this year at my usual flower stand at the marché. Not a single chemical tree in sight! But just as I was standing there thinking that the French were finally losing this strange taste, a woman in a fur coat walked up to the stand owner and said, "Where are your white trees? I can't find them."

"They all sold out already," said the stand owner. "But I'll have more next week."

 

Comments

[Veronique Savoye]

Ha! ha! ha! Ah, Frenchies. "Tout un programme!" Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

[Nicole]

I assumed that people liked the flocking because the trees get so dry from not being watered and that way there are less needles on the floor. Personally, I have scoured the city looking for a tree stand with a basin for water and it is IMPOSSIBLE. Am actually considering putting one in my luggage on the trip back after the holidays.

[Anne]

Love your post. Hate those flocked trees...especially the ones that are odd shades like royal blue, orange, and black!

[Sedulia]

I could never find a water-tree-holder in France so I brought one back from a trip to Germany. I had never thought of that reason for liking flocking but it makes sense. I had an old French lady tell me it was because it reminded her of her childhood when she had never seen snow and thought it looked like snow. She said now she knows snow doesn't look like that but the flocking still makes her nostalgic.

[Dovid]

The material used in flocking is flame retardant, which may have helped in its acceptance.

[Duchesse]

Maybe they like to match their tree to their decor?

[Anne]

Never understood those flocked trees…..especially the black ones!