real tree or fake?

[Word Nerd]

Which do you prefer? We've never had a real tree before but I'm thinking about getting one this year. 

[Ali in OR]

Real trees smell wonderful, are recycled (composted) in these parts, and in OR you can get one for $10.

 

That said, we have an artificial tree. No allergy issues (dh has problems around real trees), lights are already on, no worries about drying, dying needles, safe to keep it up from day after Thanksgiving to whenever you take it down. No trying to figure out how to get it home from the lot. Also nicely symmetrical, looks good. Made in China--not so good.

[Lisbeth]

I prefer real, by many times over, and we went for many years to make a fun day out of cutting our own down, when our oldest two were younger.

Recently we found a very real looking fake and do that.  I have stabs of regret, but we have cats, and cats drink the poison water at the base, the trees would tilt, shed, and were more of a fire hazard.  I would love to go still get a real, small "Charlie Brown" forlorn tree every year for the table or the counter and keep the fake one for our large tree.

In a perfect world, I would still get a real one every year and just deal with the extra work.  Some day I'll go back. :)

[Farrar]

I grew up always having real and I was quite a snob about it.

 

Then...  we moved into our house and I endured several Christmases with a short, fat tree in a small room with tall ceilings.  It just looked stupid every time.  So I finally got wise and bought a tall, thin fake tree and have been extremely happy with it.  It looks great.

 

If the tree growers would grow more of a variety of tree shapes, then I might reconsider, though at this point, we've liked the ease and the cheaper cost of the fake so much, that I think I may be permanently sold.  I add a little greenery smell by buying fresh garlands instead.

[songsparrow]

Love, love, love our real tree.  

 

I got one of these Swivel-Straight tree stands and it makes a huge difference as far as making it easy to set up.  You screw part onto the tree while it's still outside, then carry it in and set it in the stand.  From there, it's easy to adjust until it's standing straight and you have the best side showing.  Then you lock it in place.

 

The only think I don't like about a live tree is crawling under it every day to water it.  But I haven't found a better way.

[RoughCollie]

I prefer our artificial tree to a real one for one reason:  It is pre-lit.

 

I am never again going to put lights on a tree.  Never.

[Susan C.]

We finally got a fake one last year. Real ones need water, we got firs, and they soaked a ton of water every day. If it dries out, the stump seals, and you are done... it will dry out in short order. Dh wouldn't even leave town for Christmas break, and we always left ours up a very long time (because dh watered it so well and it was always a fir). So, stuck in town, and allergies. Time for artificial.

 

We did say we would get a real one here and there if we were sure we wouldn't be leaving town and if we missed the smell (which is wonderful).

[tammyw]

I grew up in Canada where we would go out in snowmobiles and cut our own trees. Oh the memories I have from those times! I love the smell of a real tree. There's really nothing like it.

 

After I got married, we had several years of a real tree, but we had a spot where we were able to put it on tile floors. Now we are in a house with all wood flooring (and it's a rental) and I'm so afraid of the water leaking and ruining the floors. Also, we have a cat, so I'm afraid of her drinking the water - if I had a stand that you could "close" that area so no access to drink, that would work. Growing up, our real trees would often tip over (what a mess that was!) unless it was tied up, so tying a tree to the ceiling was always mandatory. I've had enough accidents, presents getting soaked, etc. to have learned that lesson. I still miss the real tree though. Maybe someday we'll be able to have a real one again!

[bettyandbob]

I grew up with a fake tree and I have one now. 

 

No needles to vacuum.

No watering. 

No trying figure out when I'm aloud to put it out for recycling. 

 

My tree looks good in my living room and I'm pretty sure I've saved money since I bought on sale (I think it was $50 at the most) 20 years ago. 

[DragonFaerie]

Three cats = artificial tree.  The end. :-D  (Okay, and I LOVE that the tree is pre-lit, beautifully symmetric, and full.)

[shawthorne44]

Growing up we had one of the fairly realist trees from the 70's.  I loved it even then.  We lived in Minnesota and my parents tried to make a ta-do about getting the tree.  But it was cold out there, and there was snow.  Lots of snow.  I don't like the outdoors much.  Mom has a pine allergy, therefore the early switch to fake.  I have fond memories of getting the tree from the attic.  Real trees are icky.

 

I am seriously thinking of asking for a Christmas Tree Closet in our future theoretical addition.  Just roll the decorated tree into the closet. 

[MomtoCandJ]

Growing up we had real (we went out into the woods, cut one down and dragged it to the house). Now we have a fake one, we just switched trees with the inlaws. They wanted a smaller one and we needed a bigger one (ours was a 4 ft and theirs was a 6.5 ft) so it was a win win. We also got some decorations from them, which we will need for the larger tree and we didn't have really anything for around the house :)

[meena]

When our budget allows, we have a real tree to display in our front window that we decorate with our "no touch" decorations. We also have a smaller artificial tree in the family room that the kids decorate.

 

I have mixed feelings about both types. I like that the real tree can be recycled and that it is natural. I really don't like the smell, though (I know I'm probably the only oddball that doesn't like it). I also hate the needles everywhere. And, so gross, our dog is always trying to pee on it.  :ack2:  I like that we can reuse our fake tree every year, but it can be a pain to put together and "fluff" so it doesn't look like it's been stuffed in the attic for the past 11 months. 

[JustEm]

I told my dh on our first Christmas as a couple (we were engaged) that he will never have a fake tree again.  I really hate the look of fake trees.  I've never seen one that looks good because they are so obviously fake.  Also, we've been getting our tree from the same place since I can remember (likely since before I was born.)  It is such a great tradition to pick the tree out and take one of their free peppermints that every year I mail my sister one who lives in 900 miles from me.

[Guest]

I like artificial.  Bothers me to kill a tree for no good reason. 

[TravelingChris]

I have two cats, wood floors, and always have a real tree.  Since we lived here in Alabama, we go to a Christmas tree farm each year and cut one down.  Very fresh then and no needle drop problem.

[Pawz4me]

We have cats and a real tree without problems. But in the past we've used an artificial tree. It's not an issue I feel strongly about either way. Both have their pros and cons.

[KRG]

I miss having a real tree but 3/4 of my family is allergic.  We have a very nice, pre-lit, artificial one though.

[ailysh]

I grew up with fake, and my husband grew up with real. We got a real tree for the first few years of our marriage until I could convince him to get a fake tree. He has never looked back. :)

 

We like it because it doesn't shed needles, it is non-allergenic, it doesn't poke you when you try to decorate it, it is the perfect size, shape, and fullness, and we don't have to purchase a new one every year. I'd like to get a pre-lit one eventually, but for now ours works.

[GreenKitty]

I don't mind either one. But we are going with fake this year.

[Joker]

Fake, and I have no desire for a real one anymore. The real ones here are so expensive. We only on our second fake tree in the 15 years we've been together. The first one lasted about 11 years and I expect this one too as well. We bought both after Christmas and they weren't that expensive, especially when you add up how much we would have spent each year on a real one.

[MrsBasil]

We have a fake.  Growing up we always had a real one, but right now with animals and small guys-I like fake.  Light weight, don't have to remember to water it, and already at the house.  Also, a lot of the trees we find here are kind of...thin and sparse looking.  I'm probably not looking in the right places though.

[alef]

We've done real, fake, and live trees. Our favorite is a live tree in a pot--take good care of it and it can see you through several years of Christmases. Of course, that only works if you don't mind a smallish tree. We put ours up on a table.

[Susan in TN]

Which do you prefer? We've never had a real tree before but I'm thinking about getting one this year.

Fake due to allergies. I wish we could afford one of those really nice ($600) fake ones. Ours is a bit spindly and i supplement with extra greenery. I'd guess it sheds about as much as a real one.

 

I'd get a real one if it was possible.

 

For the cheapest price, buy after Christmas.

[Shamzanne]

Fake trees are anathema to me. We go to the woods every year to cut our own natural Noble Fir. I would definitely go without a tree before getting a fake one. My hatred of fake trees borders on irrational. I was at my in-laws house once when they started putting their fake tree together and I had to leave the house before I burst into tears.

 

A funny story: I am from Oregon but lived in Kentucky for a few years. One year on Christmas Eve my husband and I went to a u-cut Christmas tree place to cut our tree down. We had just moved into our new house that day and I HAD to have a real tree. As I chose it and started sawing, I got a bunch of green stuff on my hands. The owner told me he spray painted the REAL trees dark green because people were so used to fake ones around there that they didn't think the real color was "green" enough. Funny and tragic all at once.

[itsheresomewhere]

Real tree.   I don't have to store it and I don't have to deal with the off gassing of a fake tree( oh the migraines).  

[Spryte]

 

 

I am seriously thinking of asking for a Christmas Tree Closet in our future theoretical addition.  Just roll the decorated tree into the closet. 

 

:lol:

[Mrs Mungo]

We used to do real (we cut our own when we lived in Germany), but we bought a fake one after Christmas the year we found out we would be moving to Hawaii. Real trees are often quite expensive here.

[Word Nerd]

I don't think I'm any closer to deciding after reading all the replies. :)

 

I didn't think about the cats trying to drink the water, so that's an issue. Maybe I'll get a potted Norfolk Island Pine and some real greenery and just continue using a fake one as our big tree.

[MinivanMom]

Real tree. Always. I can't even imagine having a fake one. We always go and cut one down as a family.

[ScoutTN]

I know the artificial ones are more economincal and way less work, but I love real trees!

We decorate with real greens as much as possible.

[MrsMommy]

We have an artificial tree because it's the only thing I know. One of these years, though, we're going to go to the pick-your-own farm by us and get a real one!

[Mom0012]

We switched to a fake one about 5 years ago.  Someone had given us a gift card to Lowe's and I saw them on sale after Christmas and picked up a really nice one for about $150.  Prior to that we had always had a live tree, but I tired of paying the ever increasing prices.  It was getting hard to find a nice tree for $60 even then.  I think they are more like $80+ now.  My kids weren't super happy about the switch, but they survived and now they love our tree.  The other thing I love about the fake tree is that the lights are already on it!  I hate stringing lights on the Christmas tree.

[trulycrabby]

We had living trees for many years, but the yard was getting filled up with them, so we switched to an artificial, pre-lit tree a few years ago. I love it! :001_wub:

 

My grandparents had a large silver shiny tree with a revolving light so that the tree changed colours every 15 seconds. I was mesmerized by that tree for many, many, many years. :lurk5:  :o

[Lanny]

Here in Colombia, you would not have that choice. It is illegal here to use cut trees for Christmas trees, so all Christmas trees sold here are artificial.

 

If you buy a live tree now, early in the month, and take excellent care of it, hopefully it will still be in great condition on New Years Day.

 

GL with your choice.

[nmoira]

Real, though I'm still kicking myself for not picking up a spectacular vintage silver artificial tree at an antique shop a few years back. Still keeping an eye out for its equal.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Shark Tank just funded a guy who delivers live, potted tree rentals to southern California, for a giant price, natch.  Living Christmas.  Had I minions to decorate a rented tree, I think I could adjust my lifestyle to accommodate such a service.

[gardenmom5]

we used to cut a tree every year at a tree farm.  we'd have to go further and further afield, and end up spending most of the day just tree hunting.  and we only wanted tall nobles - so they were getting harder and harder to find. (and more pricey)

 

we went to a fake tree -which paid for itself in a few years.  it goes up much faster, doesn't need to be watered, doesn't dry out and drop needles if you touch it.

 

it doesn't have as good a form as a natural noble (we currently have five growing in our yard and may use them as Christmas trees in the future) and I've yet to see a fake tree that does - but I've seen many farmed nobles that are sheared and look horrible.  to me a sheared tree is an abomination.  I want to be able to have open spaces for ornaments to hang so you can see them.

 

I do miss the smell (and found 'scentsicles' at target so I'm trying those this year.) - I do NOT miss the bugs that would come in on a fresh cut tree.

[nmoira]

Shark Tank just funded a guy who delivers live, potted tree rentals to southern California, for a giant price, natch. Living Christmas. Had I minions to decorate a rented tree, I think I could adjust my lifestyle to accommodate such a service.

Really? We've had that here in Portland for years. Done it ourselves a couple times, but had to stop because the only space for a tree post wide-screen TV is near a heating vent. Very bad for tree.

[Word Nerd]

Real, though I'm still kicking myself for not picking up a spectacular vintage silver artificial tree at an antique shop a few years back. Still keeping an eye out for its equal.

 

My mom inherited my great-grandmother's silver tree.

[VeganCupcake]

I love a real tree. We are probably the only people in the universe who intentionally wait until the week before Christmas to buy one, so they are deeply discounted. We have gotten an 8 foot tree for $4 for the last few years. We strap it to the top of our compact car (they wrap them up for us) and it's been easy to get home, too. Then we put it out to be composted by the city.

 

I grew up with artificial trees, but I just love the real tree smell.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

I saw that episode!  I think that's a very cool idea.  I would be willing to pay for that because I always feel bad to throw out an entire tree.  : (

 

Bonus points if he delivers via electric truck.

[Belacqua]

I've never had an artificial tree, but I could definitely be swayed by a silver tree. Or the pink aluminum tree Lucy from Peanuts describes. 

 

Our real trees tend to be quite affordable, though, as 1). we live in the woods, so there's rather a lot of competition, and 2). I favor short, squat, funny-looking (and ideally, noticeably asymmetrical) trees. 

[Wheres Toto]

We always had a fake tree growing up.  It was less expensive to buy a fake tree once than try to buy a real tree every year (plus lack of vehicle to bring it home).

 

Dh always said he would never have a fake tree until he was too old to go out and pick one up.  Then two years ago DS had some serious allergy problems in December.  Runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and eventually pink eye.  So, now we have a fake tree. 

 

I am allergic to real trees (and everything else) but I take daily medication year round so it's not too bad.

[Amy in NH]

We go to the local apple orchard/tree farm.  We get a wagon ride, walk through the farm to pick out a tree, cut it down ourselves, and take the wagon back to the barn for cocoa or hot cider and apple cider donuts while they bale it.  After we get it home DH puts the lights on, and we all decorate it together.  It lasts a good 6 weeks before it starts losing needles, and then it goes out the living room window and onto the brush pile where it becomes the fireworks at the end of the midwinter bonfire.

 

I hated Christmas in Florida.  The season wasn't right, and then a real tree was $60 with the needles already falling off.  It was awful!

[livetoread]

Fake trees are anathema to me. We go to the woods every year to cut our own natural Noble Fir. I would definitely go without a tree before getting a fake one. My hatred of fake trees borders on irrational. I was at my in-laws house once when they started putting their fake tree together and I had to leave the house before I burst into tears.

 

A funny story: I am from Oregon but lived in Kentucky for a few years. One year on Christmas Eve my husband and I went to a u-cut Christmas tree place to cut our tree down. We had just moved into our new house that day and I HAD to have a real tree. As I chose it and started sawing, I got a bunch of green stuff on my hands. The owner told me he spray painted the REAL trees dark green because people were so used to fake ones around there that they didn't think the real color was "green" enough. Funny and tragic all at once.

I loved real trees and swore I'd never go fake. We'd drive out to the same place and cut our own real one every year. . . Until I finally noticed the same thing. They were spray painted! So much for the nature vibe. I admitted defeat, we got a fake and never looked back.

[datgh]

Real tree all the way for this girl.  I can't imagine having a fake one.  We are a Balsam Fir family because we live in northern New England so it isn't to hard to find a tree farm and go out and cut our own.

 

Artificial trees eventually end up getting tossed out and all the plastic they are made out of isn't great for the environment plus they are probably all made overseas. I never really gave a thought about this until I worked for Michael's for a few years and saw the volume going out the door.   A real tree is grown in the states so they are litterly made in America. When you buy a real tree you are supporting a farmer. Real trees can be turned into compost at the end of the season.

 

But the real reason I buy them is because I like the smell and the look.

[datgh]

Real tree all the way for this girl.  I can't imagine having a fake one.  We are a Balsam Fir family because we live in northern New England so it isn't to hard to find a tree farm and go out and cut our own.

 

Artificial trees eventually end up getting tossed out and all the plastic they are made out of isn't great for the environment plus they are probably all made overseas. I never really gave a thought about this until I worked for Michael's for a few years and saw the volume going out the door.   A real tree is grown in the states so they are litterly made in America. When you buy a real tree you are supporting a farmer. Real trees can be turned into compost at the end of the season.

 

But the real reason I buy them is because I like the smell and the look.

[hillfarm]

I love a real tree and we had one for many years when we lived in Florida. However now we heat our house entirely with wood and the air is incredibly dry, even with the steamer pot always filled on top of the stove and 2 warm mist vaporizers working constantly. So we went with an artificial tree for safety's sake.

 

Back when we lived in Florida, we would have a bonfire with our Christmas tree on New Year's Eve each year. I always said that anyone who wanted to have a live tree should have to watch a dry one burn at least once. They just sit there and smolder for several minutes and then Whoosh!, twenty feet high flames with incredible heat. I'm not saying people shouldn't have a real tree, just to be very mindful of how important it is to keep them from drying out and/or being too near any heat source or open flame.

[sbgrace]

We used to do real trees. We always waited until they were discounted, so relatively close to Christmas.

 

Then it became clear that my son's allergies and asthma were aggravated by the real trees. So we went artificial a number of years ago. I miss the smell, but like the convenience of my pre-lit tree.