If you do an artificial tree.....

[naturally]

 For the first time ever I am considering going to an artificial tree for next year on out. (We already have our real tree for this year)

I am tired of paying for a tree with huge holes. DH *hates* trying to get it straight. I break out decorating it and my arms burn. I always worry about keeping it alive til after Christmas (I like mine up through New Years)

But it's been a tradition my whole life and it makes  us all sad to consider a fake one. But if I could find one that's not so fake looking it would help. We've looked at some but the ones we've seen have branches that really look fake. Some have a mix of real and fake looking branches.

 

Which one do you have? Pre-lit or not? Any with a real looking trunk?

 

Help. Any opinions, advice, help would be appreciated.

[Ellie]

But it's still a Christmas tree. You still get to put shiny ornaments on it, and lights, and gifts under it, and the whole thing. And girl...you go out to your storage shed or attic or whatever, take the tree out of the box, put it up, BAM--you're ready to go.

 

We've chosen not to get pre-lit. I've seen the pictures of the trees where the lights in just one section have burned out and cannot be replaced. No thanks. :-)

[Night Elf]

My artificial tree is a pine, and no the trunk isn't a trunk at all. It's just a padding of green that wraps around the pipe. Every year I consider going to a real one but can't bring myself to go to the trouble. We'd have to buy a stand. We'd have to transport it home and cut the end off (something I was told was important when setting up the tree.) I have no idea how to dispose of a real tree. I think the local elementary school might have a drop off before school starts back again, but I'm not sure. I'm worried the dogs will drink the water. One of my dogs eats sticks and branches so I just imagine him devouring a real tree in the house. It just seems like a big hassle. We like our tree. No, it's not as official Christmasy looking as a real tree would be, but it serves the purpose and our holiday doesn't suffer from it. It's not prelit. We have a string of colored lights. We store it in the attic and it's no trouble to pull out or put back each year. We've had this tree at least 10 years and it still looks great. We definitely got our money's worth for this tree.

[twoxcell]

We have a fake tree and it is not the pre lit type. We bought it on clearance several years ago from Walmart and it looks nice enough to me. In fact several people have mistaken it for real. I love the idea of a real tree but in practice not so much. Also I'm glad we don't have to fork over money for a tree each year since finances are already very tight in December. :)

[Ali in OR]

Ours is just a reasonably priced tree from Target. You can't see the trunk, it's full and bushy and symmetrical, no gaps or holes, and it's the perfect height for our house. I think it looks better than most real trees but I do miss the real tree smell.

 

We got pre-lit and after a few years, large sections of lights started going out (a little more each year). I think they used cheap lights, so that if one burns out, the whole string goes. After last Christmas, dh stripped off all of the light strings that came with it. This year when we put the tree up, we put on new strings of lights. It was no worse than decorating a real tree. We'll fold up the tree with the lights on and hopefully just pull it out of the box ready to go next year.

[MFG]

We have a pre-lit tree with sections of lights out. Dh is in the process of unwrapping and cutting off the lights. It should look ok. We can not afford to replace it right now and I just don't care that much.

 

When our kids still lived at home, we always had a real tree. Now I don't want the hassle or yearly expense.

[eloquacious]

We do have a pre-lit fake tree, and I couldn't be happier. We had been a real tree family all our marriage, until last year our expensive Costco tree died within three days of purchasing it. There were no more available to exchange, so we bought a $5, three-foot fake tree and figured we'd Charlie Brown it up, until my parents splurged and bought us a super nice pre-lit tree at the Home Depot. The best part? It was originally over $200, and they price matched it even AFTER Christmas, so that in the end it cost $67.50, and we have already "broken even," since Costco returned our money last year and we didn't have to pay for one this year.

 

And this year, having just had a baby, I was so pleased to have a pre-lit "fakey" to put up before I went into the hospital. I understand the impulse to not buy a pre-lit one if you want it to last and last, but to me that was what made the whole thing worthwhile. I HATE putting on the lights. I want to get to the fun stuff!

[MollyAnn]

We have an artificial and I like it better that way. No headache, no stuffy nose, no hives, no pine needles still being vacuumed up in May.

No one would ever think it is real. There is no trunk, just a green pole.

Ours is pre-lit and we have 'realistic' branches in with the artificial.

I overload ours with ornaments and once it is decorated it looks absolutely beautiful.

 

Edited to add: One year an ornament was missed when putting the tree away. It was a special one and could never have been replaced. Didn't even realize it never made it to the ornament box till the following year when we put the tree up. If that had happened on a real tree the ornament would have been lost forever.

[Ali in OR]

And this year, having just had a baby, I was so pleased to have a pre-lit "fakey" to put up before I went into the hospital. I understand the impulse to not buy a pre-lit one if you want it to last and last, but to me that was what made the whole thing worthwhile. I HATE putting on the lights. I want to get to the fun stuff!

 

Congratulations! Enjoy a very special Christmas with your new little one.

[OrganicAnn]

You are wise to start looking now.   We bought a very nice tree from Kmart several years ago.  We had a little white tree, but wanted a more traditional green one (at least my DH did).    It was 2 or 3 days before Christmas on sale at least 60% off.   

 

Make sure you know how tall your ceiling is (don't eyeball it).

 

We got the type of lights with white flame shaped bulbs they have a diamond patter on them.  They are 'nicer' lights.  

 

I've never was worried about the trunk with the tree skirt and packages you really don't see it.   Our tree limbs come down so low it is difficult to fit packages under it.   I have 'fake' packages that I put around the tree until we have real packages.  

 

 

[naturally]

Thank you all. Is there anything to specifically look for to get a good quality fake tree? Does it matter where you buy it? We want to find one and get it on sale this year to have it ready for next.

[KarenNC]

We had a fake large tree for many years, one with downswept branches. We eventually replaced it with a prelit large tree and then, after my husband got totally fed up with dragging it out of the attic and putting it together each year, we've switched to a pair of tabletop fake prelit trees. These work really well for us. We celebrate Winter Solstice as our religious holiday and Christmas as a family cultural holiday, so we decorate one in a Solstice theme (mostly nature and solar themed ornaments) and one in a Christmas theme (mostly ornaments that have a special family meaning). Much less hassle as well, since they are small enough that we just pull them out and fluff them up, no assembly required. Current plans are to eventually move to a smaller place after my daughter moves out, so these will fit well in a smaller space.

[Spryte]

We got our first artificial at a wholesale florists' supplier.  Any chance you have access to one?  Their trees are amazingly realistic and beautiful.

 

That one was too big for our current house, so we now have one from Balsam Hill.  I asked here for advice because we no longer have access to the wholesale route.  :)  We have prelit, because I don't want to mess with lights.  Balsam Hill trees have some sort of system so that only one bulb goes out, not the whole section, I seem to remember.  They have great sales, they are super easy to put together (the 9 year old did it this year), and we've been very happy.  This is year 2 for Balsam Hill.

 

 

[aggieamy]

I'm probably not the person to give you advice because we have a fake one and it's not pre-lit ... it has fiber optic lights infused into it.  I don't know how else to describe it.  It's only about 5 foot tall and is very glow-y and bright.  Southern Living and Martha Stewart would not approve but we love it.  It's very cozy and cheerful. 

 

DH had it before we got married.  :)

[naturally]

I love all the advice and experiences. I *am* leaning toward an unlit one as we change our lights each year. We have a couple different sets and the boys like to pick. I like the idea of not having to put the lights on but letting the boys pick would help the transition. :-)

[swellmomma]

Mine is not prelit, I bought it before they came out prelit.  This will be our 13th christmas using this one.  It does not have a realistic trunk BUT the branches start low enough and spread wide enough you don't see the trunk really anyway.  Especially once you get on the lights, decor, garland, and put the presents under it.  I bought it at walmart

 

Before that tree I had the one I grew up using, the one with the wooden "trunk" and the color coded branches to slide into the right region.  That one was like a puzzle, and since it had gotten over 23 years of use before I got the new one I had no quams getting rid of it.  My current one is in 3 parts.  YOu stack them in the right order and fluff out the branches, and viola! tree ready to trim.  after xmas we put away all the decor, take the 3 sections apart, hang it up side down while we "hug" the branches flat again and put it back into the box to store for another year.

[RoughCollie]

I got mine from http://www.christmastreeforme.com/ .   If you click the Learn button on the right side of the page: "The 6 detail videos below provide you the knowledge needed to make an intelligent decision when buying Artificial Christmas Trees."

 

 

[Bootsie]

We have an artificial tree (partly because of allergies) and because of the concern of keeping a real tree green and preventing a fire hazard.  We bought a pre-lit tree a few years ago and have had much less problems than we had with individual light strings going out.  I keep thinking about going to a real tree, however.  Yes, the pre-lit is a "perfect shape" and is "perfectly formed," but after spending Christmas in Austria last year and seeing everyone out buying their real trees, the "perfect" looks so artificial to me.  Also, I think the benefit we get from not having tree allergy issues is offset by the dust allergies from bringing out the tree from storage each year.  

[Catwoman]

We have a big pre-lit tree and I think it looks very nice.

 

The most important things to look for are the number of stems on the tree and the number of lights. More stems give you a fuller-looking tree so you can't see through to the "trunk" and you have more places to hang ornaments and garlands. More lights are just prettier. :)

[TammyinTN]

We have a pre-lit--it comes in 3 pieces.  Pop it together, plug in the lights and boom you're in business. 

[marbel]

 I was always for real Christmas trees.  When I was a kid my family had our own Christmas tree forest in our backyard so I was 10 before I even knew people had to buy trees.

 

Last year we bought an artificial tree.  It was pretty inexpensive, from Walmart.  It is pre-lit.  It does not look particularly real but when it is fully decorated and lit, it is just as beautiful, if not  more so, than any real tree I've ever had.    This is only our second year with it so I don't know how well it will last.  If lights die, I will put my own strings on it.

 

One of my kids got sick every year from the real tree.  It became a hassle to hose it down and let it dry out.  I doubt I will ever go back to a real tree again.

 

The only downside?  People like my sister who are real tree snobs and make nasty comments about it.  (Not saying anyone here has done that; if anyone did I didn't notice so I am not targeting anyone here.)   It is such a petty issue to snark over.  Fortunately she lives 1000 miles away so she will never to see my awful fake tree.

[Miss Peregrine]

Thank you all. Is there anything to specifically look for to get a good quality fake tree? Does it matter where you buy it? We want to find one and get it on sale this year to have it ready for next.

I would be careful to make sure it is not made of PVC. It is likely to be full of lead.

[laundrycrisis]

I love our prelit tree. I love not having to bring home, water, clean up after and sadly dispose of a real tree each year. I also love being able to bend the branches around. We are all happier.

[Guest]

Our was pre-lit when we bought it. You don't have to scrap the whole tree when the lights stop working. I just got some regular lights at the thrift store, lol. We've had it for about ten years. It's a bit of an adjustment at first, but once you get used to it the tree becomes an old friend like the stocking your grandmother knit for your kids when they were born or those godawful ornaments you bought in college. Don't get one that's too big because life circumstances change and you might want to take it to assisted living with you or hand it down to a kid who lives in a small apartment.

 

If you can get some pine essential oil and a spray bottle that might make the first year or two easier on you.

 

I'm not normally a big fan of plastic or the kind of person you'd expect to have a fake plastic tree, but I really love not having to stress over getting to the lot before they sell all the good trees, coming up with the money (I'm horrified by how much cut trees cost), guilt over killing a living thing, worry about fires, and getting rid of a large piece of garbage every year.

 

 

 

 

[Farrar]

Our prelit has several sections of lights out this year.  I think for now I'm just going to string some more on there.  But at the end of the year, I'll need to take everything off and snip and figure out everything else and it will no longer be prelit.  Ds was like, "Well, we should just get a new one."  But it looks great.  Except for the area with no lights, that is.  And I haven't seen this exact shape and size out there this year, so forget getting another.

[Susan C.]

We got one last year (not pre-lit) at Target for about $200. It looks real enough that dh tried to water it..... We used to get firs, yes gorgeous, but they really suck the water, so then we couldn't leave during break since they have to be watered every day.

 

They have it this year as well. Its a Smith & Hawken.  I get the cheap lights and extras since they do burn out, and since they aren't expensive, don't worry about throwing strands out (but keep a few for spares). BOTH people I know with prelit had entire branches, even entire sides go out.

[Catwoman]

I would be careful to make sure it is not made of PVC. It is likely to be full of lead.

Lead? :confused:

[fraidycat]

We have a nice fake one.  It's got the plastic and papery things on it, so while it looks "too perfect" to be real, it doesn't look like a cheap fake either.  It is very full when set up, so you can't even really see the "trunk" part, especially once it's all decorated.  It is pre lit, with all white bulbs, but if I want to put colored lights, I just string them on the old-fashioned, non pre-lit way.  :)  I couldn't find one I liked that wasn't pre-strung with lights.

[Acorn]

I love our pre-lit one.  No more allergic reactions for me!  After 10 years, a section of lights went bad.  We bought a "Light Keeper" tester and repair tool.  Worked like magic.  If it hadn't, we would have cut off the dead strand and wound a new one onto the tree.

[livetoread]

We have a prelit tree and the lights lasted about four seasons before sections started going out. I would just string lights too after that and it looked fine.

 

With our tree, we pull the individual branches out from the stem, starting in the inside of the tree and working out. It's a pain, and everyone seems to disappear when I start doing it, only to reappear when it's time to hang ornaments. It makes the tree look much fuller though. We have to reflatten it to fit it in the box after we take it down, so it's a yearly task to refluff. I still don't miss real trees at all, though I was a purist for years.

[KrissiK]

We have a pre-lit. We bought it from Sears about 4-5 years ago. We spent some $ on it, but we figured at the price of a decent real tree, we should have the artificial one paid for in a couple of years. It's nice. Covered with lots of decorations it looks fine.

[DianeW88]

Not pre-lit.  I like to do my own lights.  We get our from this site:  www.treeclassics.com  Spend the money, you get what you pay for.  Everyone who comes into our house thinks our tree is real.  Without fail.

[DragonFaerie]

It's too late for me now, but I thought you couldn't string lights different lights onto a pre-lit tree.  I had a great one that lasted for 5 years before the first section of lights went out.  Then I lost another section the next year.  I looked through the paperwork that came with the tree, and it said that adding lights to it was a fire hazard, so I was afraid to do it.  This year, I just got a new tree. 

[ksr5377]

We have a fake one without lights.  Mainly because I couldn't find a pre-lit one I liked with enough lights on it.  My mother taught me that you have at least 100 lights per foot of tree.  It really does make a difference.  I never grew up with a real tree and always thought that would be so nice.  Then our first year of marriage I tried it.  I had no idea live trees were so expensive and I found the entire process to be a pain.  Also, my FIL is Chief of his fire department and he detested the live trees as a fire hazard. 

[Saraswati]

Our prelit has several sections of lights out this year.  I think for now I'm just going to string some more on there.  But at the end of the year, I'll need to take everything off and snip and figure out everything else and it will no longer be prelit.  Ds was like, "Well, we should just get a new one."  But it looks great.  Except for the area with no lights, that is.  And I haven't seen this exact shape and size out there this year, so forget getting another.

 

 

We had the same thing happen to our tree a couple years back. The lights decided to go out in weird sections, and it just looked sad. It was just way too big anyway, so I was glad to have an excuse to get rid of it. The last couple years, we bought potted trees and planted them in the back yard after Christmas, but I don't have room for anymore. This year, I got a 4 foot tree from Hobby Lobby and put it up on a small round table. I really like it.

 

This new one has parallel circuiting so whole patches of lights won't go out together. So, if you do go with pre-lit, try to find a parallel circuit so you don't have lighting issues years down the road. 

[Luckymama]

We have two artificial trees----one unlit and one pre-lit. The pre-lit one will still light if an individual bulb goes out (not that it's happened yet).

 

I grew up with artificial trees. Part of Christmas is assembling the tree and interweaving the lights as you add the branch pieces :)

[GSOchristie]

We have both, actually all three, an artificial without lights, a prelit artificial and a real. One of the strands of lights went out on the prelit this year and it took me an hour to cut it off, not fun. In my opinion, they're all messy, I had to vacuum after I put up all three. I like the smell of the real one, but I think out artificial ones are just as pretty.

[TrixieB]

We have a K-Mart special that has lasted 14 years so far.  It's not pre-lit, thank goodness, because lights really don't seem to last more than a couple of seasons in our house.  Probably no one would mistake it for a real tree, but it works for us.  The kids assemble it, I put the lights on, they decorate it.  Easy-peasy.  No one has to water it or vacuum up needles.  And I sometimes store Christmas candles in the box with it, so it even smells Christmas-y.