Tis the season for conspicuous consumption.

First, connoisseurs of the history of Jesus would know that He was born in a barn. Nothing about flying reindeer, dancing snowmen, or a huge elf.
Or trees. There was a little bit of Grinchiness this year on the part of the U.S. Forest service, because of the global warming, the massive swarm of pine bark beetles that spawned, and the weakened conditions of the trees due to warmer temperatures and less water. One of the largest sections of Christmas Tree Harvesting the White River National Forest
Not, of course, going to affect COMMERCIAL tree-slaughter anytime soon, because the Timber companies have a big lobby and some impressive corporate ties to even MORE corporate lawyers and lobbyists. And they don’t give three shits about whether there’ll be forests in 50 years. Greedy Bastards is just a good start at describing them and the list gets uglier from there.
Then there’s the Christmas Tree in Abu Dhabi, UAE. at The Emirates Hotel. 45 feet tall and crusted with 14 MILLION dollars worth of ornaments. Ornaments like watches, necklaces, bracelets, rings… Everything to tickle the fancy of your average Corporate Traveler.
Remember the Corporate Partners of the tree-killing industry?
Like the Oil industry….