Thank you for the absolution of guilt. I realize now that's mostly what I was looking for. ;) ===>>> i suspect that is why most peeps come for opinion ... lol ... and i give it to them ... since you have goals.. understand.. that most tags ... size estimates.. are at 10 years .. and frankly ... trees, shrubs and conifers.. will be twice as big at 20 years ... and if you site things for 20 years ... especially the backbones of your garden ... you will be all set for a long time.. what too many peeps do.. is site it perfectly for what it is.. the day they drag it in.. and kinda forget about the future ... plan the backbone for eternity.. and plant things around them.. that can be moved later.. or sacrificed to the druid gods ... good luck come back often .. i have a lot more opinions.. lol ken ps: as an example ... in this pic.. the tri color beech was placed forever ... theoretically.. everything else can be moved out .... except the dwarf .. i dont think he will ever leave ... lol ... also a bit of creating pruning keeps the tree in perspective for the spot ... [even that invasive juniper at the edge of the cement.. a pox on them ..]

thanks for the link...I just joined up!!

I've seen the walls posted with donation chits, but I've never been asked outright at the register to donate money. If they did ask, I'd just say no and leave it at that. Of course, the usual bell-ringers outside the store doors always ask, and I just walk by or say no. I do feel a bit badly saying "no" so often, but I also feel badly driving by down-on-their-luck homeless holding signs at intersections. Other than a couple special, urgent drives during any given year, in early December every year, DH and I always sit down and discuss what/how much we're going to give according to that year's finances. Then we write a few very generous checks to our favorite causes. Yes, it's tax deductible, but we are giving the money, and they are getting the money, and if the IRS wants to reward us for doing so, I'm all for it. This year I am also sponsoring Xmas gifts for a disadvantaged girl in the area (anonomously through a local agency). In general, I'd rather write large checks than give in dribs and drabs all through the year, even if there were no tax deduction. I did make an exception a week or so ago...a not-strung-out-by-drugs homeless young man was just sitting quietly (with a donation can) on the wide sidewalk downtown recently, and he had laid out a clean folded towel for his cat to lay on. (I'd never seen a homeless person with a pet cat.) He was petting and stroking his cat so lovingly, and the cat responding in kind, that I gave him $5 and asked that it be used for catfood or shots for his cat. (There is a good homeless shelter with meals not far away, and I'm sure they do not provide catfood or veterinary care.) He looked up and smiled. Maybe the cat is his shill? Who knows...I just was touched.

They may not want them at all and may even trash them this time of year. They typically do not have storage space, so the only use to them is if they marke them way down to try to seel them after everyone is done with decorations, after Christmas sales and may even have their stuff packed away now. They will get much more value from your donations if you hang on to them until the fall. Pack them separately and mark the box as donations so you can pull it down and take it without having to go through everything again. I need to take my own advise -- things got hectic. We were going to get a new tree this year, then not -- then decided on one we happened to see. Never got down the previous tree -- 9 ft with LED lights, but I'm sure they don't want it now. Hey, I'll try to remind you if you try to remind me! ;)