Perception of Holidays

Have you ever noticed how much vegetation we include in our holidays? I am not talking about what we eat, considering all of the sugary sweets associated with this time of year. No, even more obviously. Take Halloween for example. I went to the pumpkin patch last weekend with my family, where we tromped through fields of mud to find the "perfect" pumpkin. Then we took it home, cut it open, scooped out its guts, and carved it into an aesthetically pleasing figure and displayed it in our home. While the festivities of this holiday include much more than pumpkin carving, Halloween would not be the same without these emptied gourds shining bright on every doorstep. Why do we find it necessary to include this odd activity every October 31st?

My train of thought on Halloween led me to think about other holidays that include vegetation. What about the Christmas tree? We chop down trees and haul them into our homes so we can envelope them in lights and ornaments for a few weeks of the year. How crazy does that sound out loud?! I always thought my cat looked at me like I was insane when I was cursing at a tree too heavy for me to be shoving through my doorway, covering me in sap and needles. So, why do we constantly feel the necessity to bring the outdoors in? We display flowers in our homes for nearly every other holiday. Valentines Day, Easter, Mothers Day, even our birthdays! I would love to hear the thoughts of my fellow classmates on this random thought. Can you think of anywhere else that this is seen?