What a California palm tree has to teach us about Christmas…
Although a symbol often associated with Hollywood and sunny California, most species of palm trees like this Mexican fan palm are not native to California. They were imported as ornamental plants since they provided no shade nor marketable fruit.
This particular palm tree is the tallest tree in our Northern California neighborhood, towering over native Coastal Redwoods and pine trees.
There will always be doubters:
You don’t belong here.
Christmas just isn’t the same without snow and real Christmas trees.
You are not good enough.
You are not beautiful.
But this lone Mexican palm stands proud like an extended middle finger to say, “I am beautiful. I do belong. I am godliness. I am joy. I am Christmas.”
Happy Holidays from Everyday Gurus like this palm tree in sunny, season-less California.
Related articles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (mtlawleyshire.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign – Palms (jaysnaps.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (miljoanne.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Change of Seasons (atasteofmorning.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons – Perth (lplk.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (thepetalpusher.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: BIG TREES (picturesinlivingcolor.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (ahecticlife.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (patriciaddrury.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (mothergrogan.wordpress.com)
- A Brief History of Palm Trees in Southern California (kcet.org)
everyday gurus 
Palm trees, Christmas trees…it’s not the tree that matters it’s what’s inside our heart. Thank you for warming up my computer screen with your Californian sunshine 🙂
Enjoy your week-end Kozo
Thanks, Anyes. You warm up my heart every time you comment. {{{Hugs}}}
P.S. I’m still waiting for your story to continue. I don’t want to write it because I would make the driver in the rear view mirror a hedgehog or something. 🙂
Not fair, the story is to be continued by the reader…You know you can do it, you’re just playing shy…
Thank you for the hugs 🙂
Is that a “Happy Holidays” with your middle finger extended, Kozo?! 🙂 I spent the first 6 years of my life in sunny California and just had a conversation with my daughter the other day about Christmas without snow. She just couldn’t get how it would feel like Christmas without it being cold. All I could tell her was that it just did feel like Christmas – silver aluminum tree and all!! Great post!
Ooops, I guess those two symbols don’t go together. haha. Can you imagine Santa flipping off a jumbo jet that cut him off in his sleigh?
If you ask me, Christmas is about warmth. Happy Holidays, Sarah. Thanks for joining the family this year. {{{Hugs}}}
All trees are beautiful. They just are themselves and their sole reason is to just grow and be. When you cut one, it’s many layers show inside – a history of it’s life. I love trees, as you can see! Happy holidays, Kozo!
Thank you for the mention. I enjoyed your photo of the palm tree. It reminded me of my days in California.
Thanks,Laurie. I like the contrast between your bare trees with this palm tree. It testifies to the infinite variety in nature. Thanks for the visit and comment.
Yes, winter in Kansas is definitely a whole different thing from winter in California. It is supposed to go down to 11 degrees here tonight. Brrr.
That’s an unusual looking palm tree!! Awesome! 😉
[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (everydaygurus.com) […]
I love any kind of tree and this one looks particularly majestic! 😉
Well we have to endure Christmases without snow in Australia. We get through. Such a wonderful photo…love how you captured the criss cross latice of bark weaving its way up. I often paint a gum branch white and hang decorations off that. It doesn’t matter where you are or what the season, it’s the sentiment that counts. Jen
[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (everydaygurus.com) […]
[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (everydaygurus.com) […]
Love it! I grew up in South Florida and we didn’t have snow and Christmas still came, every year like clockwork! 🙂
Thanks for the comment, Life&Ink. If you think about it, I don’t think there was snow when Jesus was born, either. haha.
Excellent point! That detail has kinda gotten lost, hasn’t it. 🙂
[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (everydaygurus.com) […]
Dude, you crack me up sometimes! 🙂 This is one of your wittiest lines, “But this lone Mexican palm stands proud like an extended middle finger. . .” I have never heard a palm tree described in such a way, nor have I ever heard about the biography of the Mexican palm tree for that matter.
I didn’t know that these palm trees were not native to California (it seems so ironic, too. . . California is known for its palm trees and there are palm trees there that are not native).
I love your writing style.
Amazing, huh. Palm trees were imported to create the California image of a western oasis. Hollywood, before Hollywood. Now the facade has become reality, yet nature raises her finger and says, “not so fast.”
Thanks again for the comments, Niko. They mean a lot to me.
I always liked that about nature. 🙂
And you, my friend, are a comment guru. 🙂
[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons (everydaygurus.com) […]