Me and The Evergreens
Dec 23rd, 2007 at 8:18 am by Susie
I don’t know exactly when I developed an allergy to evergreens; I just know that every year as an adult, I’d get really sick at Christmas with a deep and lingering case of bronchitis. It was during a tight financial period when the price of Christmas trees went through the roof and someone gave me an artificial tree that it finally sunk in: I was allergic to Christmas trees.
How allergic? Well, I once had a very scary asthma attack while driving to work - when the trash truck I was following was grinding its load of Christmas trees.
Anyway, I compensate with a real balsam wreath for the front door. This year, after seeing a particularly fetching evergreen door bouquet at Trader Joe’s (it had holly! And something else, with pretty blue berries!), I had the bright idea that I would break it up and put the greens in vases.
This was A Very Bad Idea. (You’d think the fact that my hands were itching and tingling as I touched the stuff would have been a clue.)
I put the greens on a bookcase downstairs near the front door, figuring it would be fine. It wasn’t. I woke up this morning with my entire face swollen like a basketball.
Guess I’m still allergic, huh.
It finally occurred to me the “something else with blue berries” must be juniper. Did I mention I’m also mildly allergic to gin? Did you know gin was made with juniper berries? (Did I mention gin & tonic is my very favorite drink?)
That’s why, on the eve of Christmas Eve, I’m sitting here with an ice pack on my face.
You poor thing! My husband’s allergic to most evergreens. He has to suck down Bennedryl every Christmas. You do know about Bennedryl - right? It counter’s histamine attacks - all allergic reactions, really. I always carry some with me just in case. It’s cheaper and less toxic than epinephrine.
Happy Christmas anyway, my dear! I hope you feel better soon.