Capitol Tree May Face Identity Crisis, Scientist Warns
MADISON, WI (Disassociated Press) - December 1, 2005 – Bartholomew J. Sneed, Professor of Botanical Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, has a solemn warning regarding the continual changing of the designation of the 65 foot Engelmann Spruce tree, delivered to Washington, D.C. from the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, which stands on the Capitol grounds as a symbol of the season that ends the calendar year.
“The constant changing of what the tree is called, from ‘Christmas Tree’ to ‘Holiday Tree’ and back to ‘Christmas Tree,’ if repeated over and over, will be very confusing to the conifer at this particular stage in its emotional development,” explained Sneed. “I’m afraid that, if a final decision is not quickly made, and this changing back and forth isn’t halted, there could be significant long term psychological damage to the tree.”
The battle over how the Capitol tree will be referred to is emblematic of the sweeping debate that is raging across the nation with regard to the appropriate way to refer to the season and holidays of the late fall and early winter. The tree was originally called a ‘Christmas Tree’ when it was first set up Monday to mark the season; however, later that day, the designation was changed to ‘Holiday Tree.’ On Tuesday, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL, stated that the designation would officially be changed back to the ‘The Capitol Christmas Tree.’
Sneed is not alone in his concern for the emotional well being of the tree. An organization called People Against Giving Arbors Neuroses (PAGAN) has petitioned the Congress to officially change the name of the Capitol tree to the ‘Yule Tree’ for this year and in years going forward, which would refer back to the pre-Christian derivation of today’s Christmas and Holiday trees, when conifer trees were employed in Northern European rituals celebrating the Winter Solstice and the return of the lengthening day. Sneed, however, is hesitant of this plan.
“Such a thing might invoke images in the tree’s mind of the primordial practice of lashing live animals and humans up in the branches of the trees, then lighting the trees on fire as a sacrifice to the Norse gods,” explained Sneed. “In this case, the cure could be worse than the ailment.”