Christmas Trees

schwarcw

So what is your preference for a Christmas tree this season? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. It's a matter of personal preference and/or convenience.

I've gone full circle. When I first started out on my own, I had an artificial. I got sick of that after a number of years and went to the real trees. You can't beat the smell or the memorable adventure to find one. After some years with the real tree I got tired of the needles, the mess and the cost. The last three years I've got a tree pre-strung with lights. Now, I just drag it out of the attic, set it up and decorate. It looks great without the hassle and expense of a real tree.

BaggedLancer

personally i love the real evergreens, however my nephew thinks otherwise and finds it amusing to pull off branches and needles and try and eat them....so my parents resorted to artificial for the holidays so when the kids come over its safe

disneyjoe7

I love real tree, but now use an artificial tree due to the quality of tree we find in Florida and cost of it. All Christmas trees are not from Florida and are shipped in from up north. I do get a real reef for the inside of front door must people believe the artificial tree is real with the smell of the reef.

masanz1

We normally cut our own from the Mt Hood forest, this year we went artificial, so far so good, no needles, but also no nice smell

shack

Real trees set my wife's allergies off big time. Artificial for us.

cindy100

Although I like the smell you get from a live tree, I use artificial here so I don’t have to deal with the mess. I have 4 trees this year; someone else puts the lights and ribbon on the one in the living room and I do the rest of the decorating myself. I am very picky about how I want my trees to look and since I don’t have the patience to mess with lights, I prefer to pay someone to do that part of it.

The tree in my living room has been up since November 11 although it took me almost two weeks to get it completed. Yes, I know that is probably way too early for most of you and yes, by the end of the year, I am ready for them to be gone! Taking everything down is the only part of Christmas I don’t like.

Cindy

BottomFeeder

Real for me, although my wife would like to convert to artificial. It's mostly tradition with me; the smell, the sight, watering the thing, decorating...it's just a part of Christmas for me. Going artificial would seem a betrayal of sorts.

Shizelbs

I prefer real, but we are using a fake.

danger boy

has to be a real tree for me. my parents long time ago switched to artificial.. i only like real trees. we got so many of them up here in the Pacific Northwest
plus they are a renewable resource.

I hate the pine needles everywhere. but it's a small price to pay for the wonderful smell it gives off.

Ron-P

Real, forever. Fake trees are so, fake.

bobman1235

Fake trees have no soul. Why even bother putting something up?

I love how many people said "we'd prefer real, but went with fake for convenience". Really, how much does the inconvenience hit you? For a few hours when you buy it and a few hours when you throw it out at the end of the season.

Get a real tree.

Sansui

Artifical here.

Real trees, no matter how well watered, pose too much of a fire hazard.

BaggedLancer

Sansui wrote:

Artifical here.

Real trees, no matter how well watered, pose too much of a fire hazard.

you must have watched the mythbusters xmas special

Maurice

Sansui wrote:

Artifical here.

Real trees, no matter how well watered, pose too much of a fire hazard.

Ditto, artificial prelit for me.

wingnut4772

Real. Gotta have the smell.

Ricardo

Natural until this year; got one of those artificial with lights; hard to tell the difference until you touch it...

cambir

Absolutely 100% real...always. The smell is a must-have for my Christmas time.

PolkThug

I miss the days when I had a family and we would go to the Christmas tree farm and cut down the tree of our choice. Good times.

Polk65

Real tree scent gets me in a good mood for winter.

The National Fire Protection Assoc. has some good advice on avoiding fires. I'm surprised candles came in at only 8% as the source for fires. http://www.nfpa.org/displayContent.asp?categoryID=296

sucks2beme

Fake. Bought a nice one during an after Christmas sale. Had it for 10 years.
It cost about what one real tree would cost.

whitetruk

real,balled and burlapped,bring it in for a couple days then plant.

George Grand

Wood.

zombie boy 2000

Real... without a doubt.

I knew the end was nigh the first time I saw an "Upside-Down" Christmas tree.

steveinaz

Although I have a fake one, I prefer real trees.

Mike682

Real tree

DollarDave

Artificial - the real ones make all the girls in the house stuffed up.

ohskigod

I like artificial, but the wifey loves a real tree. I just convinced her to come to the dark side, but she wants to buy a fake tree after the holidays to get it on sale (allways a little bargain hunter) and get a real tree this year.

McLoki

As a kid we always had (the same) fake tree and it was fine. Since I have been married, we have gotten a real tree.

Just something about looking for the perfect tree - Cutting it down yourself only to find out:

Damn are they heavy.
What do you mean it won't fit in the truck.
It didn't hit the ceiling out at the tree farm....
roots must add alot of stability.
Animals love it when you bring nature inside... :rolleyes:
turning the tree (after lights and 1/2 the decorations are on it) to fill in holes in the branches.
The smell of a live tree is just awesome.
it is a day long event of cutting it down, setting it up, putting on lights and decarations.
Everyone under 5 years old puts every decaration on the same branch.
as the kids get older, the trees need to get taller to keep the breakable ornaments out of their reach.

It is a great tradition and I wouldn't change it at all. The whole family really gets into it.

Michael

zombie boy 2000

nice post McLoki:)

Jstas

Personally, I like the artificial. They are getting good with them and some of the newer ones, it can be real difficult to look at them from across the room and see that they aren't real.

The biggest benefit to the real trees are the aromas they release as they rot in your living room. If you want that real tree smell, you can always get a real wreath or one of those mantle pieces. Then you get teh small with only a small fraction of the clean up.

bobman1235

Speaking of Christmas Tree smell, the Yankee Candle "Christmas Wreath" candle smells EXACTLY like Christmas Tree. It's uncanny. So for all you fake tree folks, there ya go