JFF: Christmas Tree-Real or Artificial

real we go out as afamily pick it out even if it means going to several places,there were a few times we had to go to Lowes/Home depot or Dillons to get one due to a child was sick husbands work hrs & it wasn't the same as going to a farm

When I first moved away from home into an apartment I had a fake tree.
It got dusty fast, the plastic smell was awful and I just hated it.
At the time, artificial trees were all the rage because it saved a 'real' tree and was reusable.
After 2 years I got rid of it in favor of a real tree.
More tree farms exists for growing Christmas trees now and they are bio-degradable.
Artificial trees get thrown out eventually and then they help fill up landfills - they are not recyclable.
I like the smell of a real tree (I like Frasier firs).
We get a freshly cut one every year and we've never had trouble with dropping needles even though we keep it up 3-4 weeks..
At the end of the season we shred it up and use it as mulch around the yard.

Oh gee.
See my other response regarding my sister, the Christmas Tree Control Freak.

I love real trees, but they are a pain in the rump. They're expensive, they have to be watered, the needles fall off, you have to worry about fire danger, THEN you have to get rid of them.

The best $14 I ever spent was on an artificial tree on sale at Rite Aid. That tree has served us so well over the years, it's like a faithful friend. I get compliments on it each year because once it's decorated, it's really lovely and not one single person has ever looked at it and said, "Oh...you got a fake tree".

After being stored, it takes a little time to get the branches all feathered out, etc, but it always looks so nice in the end. As a single mom, I'd rather spend the money on my kids as opposed to a tree that's just going to have to go to the dump or recyler. It's a lot of money for some temporary enjoyment.

Don't get me wrong, there were years we actually had two live trees, one downstairs and one at the top of the landing upstairs. I decorated the bannister and went all out. It was beautiful, but also a lot of work.

I also keep my tree up into January. As a kid, my family put the tree up on my birthday, December 16, so I've never done the day after Thanksgiving thing, let alone before. I also don't like taking the tree down the day after Christmas. I like to enjoy it through New Year's.

Artificial is much less work for me. And, the money I save can go to new decorations or presents for my kids. It works for me.

Best wishes.

Hi sherri-

I had a 'real' tree all my life...often the one's that can be re planted (with varying degrees of success).

Then...16 years ago I had preemie twins born in october (due DEC 25) and I got a 'fake' tree to be sure there would be christmas for the other kiddos.

I still have that tree...and both my preemie daughters.

It is an UGLY pre lit job...but when I decorate it up...it is SO beautiful...and a constant reminder that I still have BOTH my preemies...against ALL odds...16 years later.

The 'fake' tree will have to die with me...lol

Best Luck!
michele/cat

We have Chuck, the ugly Christmas tree and it's about time to let him out of his box. He's a weird shape and looks completely unnatural but he's become a family tradition. Besides, even in our dry climate, he doesn't drop his needles all over the floor. No extra work cleaning up and he looks as good (or bad) on New Years Day as he does when we put him up. How's that for dependable?!

We use a real tree. We cut a fresh one down at a farm every year. Our trees last quite a long time. (We get them the first weekend of December, and take them down after New Years.) We are really diligent about water level and such.

Getting our tree is like an experience, a whole day trip. Waling the fields looking for THE tree, cutting it, driving it home. There is just something so magical about that experience. I do agree, they are a pain. They are expensive, also. Definitely, not for everyone! We just put them in as part of the budget. It helps, that we are artists and don't often have to spend much. We get requests from family members, for art they'd like for Christmas!!

We always have a real tree, we just love the look, feel and smell of a real tree! My husband just went to our camp and cut it down this afternoon. We always do a really big one because our ceiling is at least 20 feet high in the great room where we put the tree. There have been years when I put up more than one real tree in the house.

Of course there are down sides to a real tree. I have had completely decorated trees fall more than once and break sentimental ornaments that could not be replaced. Since we put our trees up right after Thanksgiving every year we do lose lots of needles by New Years Day! One year there were hardly any needles left on the tree after I took all the decorations off of it so we literally threw it out a window.

Having the tree up and decorated makes it really feel like Christmas, I can't wait!

Real.

Love the smell...but in all honesty, it's the tradition of picking and deciding on THE perfect tree and then cutting it down and watching my boys tie it on top of the car, that makes it worth it, to me anyway!

Ours goes up the first weekend of December and when it's cut fresh and you add fresh water everyday (which the lil' kids LOVE to do) it lasts, we have never had a problem with a too dry tree, my husband is paranoid about this to the extreme! We take it down New Years Eve and have a beautiful fire with it in our fireplace, while we are waiting to ring in the New Year!

Artificial because of allergies and cats that would eat it.
We used to get real when I was a child. It took quite a while to figure out that it was bothering me.
I have to admit I don't miss a real tree. Way too much upkeep for my taste.

Always a real tree. It's up from about the first weekend in December til New Year's Day. Sure it gets a little dry the last week (or more, lol!) but I love the whole process of going to pick it out, waiting in the stupid long line to pay for it, arguing with my husband about how best to tie it to the car, arguing with my my husband some more when we get it home as we spend at least an hour just getting it upright and straight...you get the picture ;-)
However,
last year, in addition to our main tree, I got a small (4 ft.) fake tree for the corner of our dining room, and I decorated it in all silver, white and gold. THIS year I'm going for a Nutcracker theme with that tree, AND I think I'm going to do another small fake one for the kitchen, which will be baking/cooking themed!
Yes, I am turning into a crazy Christmas lady, LOL!!!

We do a real tree every year, often a spruce or noble fir. It's our family tradition to go to the local co-op tree lot in the neighborhood. We love it: one great business in the neighborhood donates the space and you get to talk to the people who actually grew the trees. There's something special to me about that. We always get a 4' tree and set it on the table in the dining room (we eat in the kitchen and our house is small, so it works). We get one about a couple weekends into December-- thanks for the post, now I'm really looking forward to it!

PS- and thanks to all of you who mentioned allergies; I hadn't thought of that. I'll be watching my husband and son since they both have regularly have allergies.

after a lifetime of real trees, last year....due to allergies/asthma issues... I had to switch to an artificial tree. We borrowed a friend's tree, & I was so relieved to make it thru the holiday season without using my inhaler.

Yesterday, we made an investment in an awesome artificial tree. We hope this new tree provides many years of beauty for us. I am looking forward to a longer viewing each year. We used to buy our real tree around the 5th-10th, with takedown on Jan 1st. With this new tree, it's going up tomorrow!

we always get a real one. I can't stand fake ones, lol! Never in my life have I had a fake one and I never will. We are going on Wednesday to cut our own and I can't wait!

We use a real tree and also a real wreath on the door. For me, the scent and vibrant feeling of a real tree outweigh the downsides. To each his/her own, though!

I grew up with an artificial tree because my mom could not stand the mess of a real one...but then when I met my husband, he was into getting real trees. So that is what we've always done now, the past 11 years since we started living together. We go to a local Christmas tree farm every year to cut down our own - our daughter loves it and it's become a tradition for us. They have free hot chocolate there and Santa is there too for pictures. We'll probably be going out tomorrow and will keep it up until just after New Year's - it lasts pretty well as long as we water it enough!

We use a real one since my kid is a Boy Scout. At the time I am writing this, he is precisely selling pine trees.
Real pine trees last a long time. We usually have one from the last week of November until December 6th like you..We put our pine in a tree stand and we water it every day. It keeps smelling beautifully! It is nice to pick it up, and all of the things that comes with it while my kid is doing something useful as well!

I decorate trees professionally this time of year.

This year with my crew we will decorate 10 trees. Only 2 will be real. I love a real tree. The last time we had a real tree, Our daughter ended up with pneumonia and in the hospital for 4 days because of her allergies and her asthma....due to the fresh tree.

The artificial trees we use are beautiful. they. Are prelit and are beautiful now.

I suggest the "Thyme" company, "fir" scented candles. You burn it for 15 to 20 minutes and the scent will last for days.

Or the company "Aromatique".. Does a candle and a potpourri, called, The "Smell of the Tree". Again will make your home smell like a real tree.

Secret.. Slice the bottom of the bag of poutporri to pour your poutporri into a bowl.. The companies place all of the pretty stuff at the top of the bag...this way you do not have to dig through the potpourri to get the pretty bits on top.

I have an artificial tree. I love the smell of a real tree but 1) we have dogs that eat real trees , 2) I have a cat that climbs real trees. and 3) I can't handle the mess of the needles. I found these things last year that you hang in the tree to make it smell like a real tree. They do actually smell just like a Christmas tree. And so does the "christmas wreath" candle from yankee candle. At least it used to I haven't smelled it this year.

We have an artificial tree because my husband is allergic to so many trees and molds that grow on them. The funny thing though is that when I put it up each year the branches rub and cut my arms and make welts on them. So I am allergic to our fake tree.

We switched to a real tree several years ago. We have a fake one in the basement for emergencies. The cats can't keep their paws off the FAKE one (and the ornaments crash left and right), but the REAL one they leave alone. It should be the other way around. I think their little elevators don't quite go to the top story.

Happily, the locally-owned plant store near us has wonderful, really fresh trees. Some needles fall, yes, but only once in twelve years or so has one of their trees actually gone dry. We don't pick from the perfectly-shaped, nursery-grown ones; we pick one that comes from the mountains and has more, um, character - usually a white fir. Although it does cost more money than a parking-lot $6-per-tree place, it's less expensive than the magazine-cover ones, so we get a fresh tree for a good price AND we don't have to get up in the night to shoo the cats off it. The store people put the tree on the stand for me (hooray!) and I whiz home with it and get it right into water! After Christmas we can take it to a recycling place so it can help the city parks. Since Thanksgiving came early, I'll wait until next weekend at the earliest to go tree-looking.

We have to do a fake tree, due to allergies to the spores. I have candle and "scentsicles" that make it smell like a live tree is in the house. And our tree is a well made tree so once I fluff ... it looks great. And once it's decorated it's even more awesome.

I love a live tree ... but I DON'T love being unable to breathe, having my ears hurt for weeks from the pressure in my head, and my nose being rubbed raw. And it's just as bad for two of my three kids. So no more live trees, we went to a fake about 5 years ago or so.

We had artificial my entire life growing up. I never understood why anyone would want a live one---until I discovered the Frasier Fir. (Everyone I knew before that, who did live trees, used Douglas Fir). Frasiers are just beautiful!

That is all we do now. And we live in the deep south where they truck the trees in. They usually last through Christmas well enough. I stop watering it a few days after Christmas and we take it down a the weekend before Epiphany--- so that we have time to take it over to where we hold our Epiphany service. We are a small church and we do our epiphany service outside around the (very very LARGE) firepit at one of our member's houses. We bring our trees, and we burn them at the service. It's pretty cool. (And scary when you see how fast those suckers dissolve into nothing, and how high the flames shoot up into the air---easily 20 feet in less than 10 seconds).

Artificial. I can barely keep my plants watered much less a tree. Poor thing would be dead and come back to life over and over.

I am allergic to Christmas Trees, so we have no choice but to have a fake tree. (I know, weird allergy) I usually buy a Yankee Candle of a Christmas sent we all enjoy and burn that frequently.

Real and it is a mess to clean up but I love it.

We use an artificial tree. I'd LOVE a real tree but my sister's husband is allergic and they stay with us for almost two weeks over Christmas.

Every year that I put it up I complain incessantly to my husband about how its not fair LOL.

Artificial. I can't justify the land, fertilizer, labor, etc. spent to grow beautiful living trees that then are cut down and end up as mulch - IF the buyers go that far. Mulch would be a better fate, but most cut trees seem to end up in the dump. As for live trees with root balls to replant -- great idea but not for us since our large yard already has far too many little trees in it and needs fewer, not more. I love not having to worry about the fire hazard, getting the tree to stand upright as it gradually shrinks a bit and loosens in the holder, needles on the floor, watering, etc. Yep, artificial for us. Easier than ever to put up (no more sticking in individual branches like way back when!) and take down too. And if a small ornament somehow doesn't get back off the tree....it's in the tree box next year when I open it!

This will be yar #5 with a prelit fake. It is still beautiful, falls into place nicely and easy to care for.

We had fresh for years and loved them but they became so brittle so fast even with constant attention and water not to mention the allergies.

We've been quite pleased with our fake choice which was about $500. About 5 yrs ago. Not too bad on $$

i put up our tree the first full weekend in november(because i love christmas and want to enjoy the season) and i usually take it down the first week of january. so we have an artificial one. i remember being a kid and we always had a real tree and my parents making my younger sister and i pick up pine needles from the carpet on our hands and knees!! hated that job!!!

Artificial. We all have allergies to live trees. We put our tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. Just finished decorating it. We will take it down either New Year's Day or that following weekend.

artificial. I can not stand the smell of pine. I have infact had most pine/evergreen/cedar trees removed from my yard,

We like artificial also - it's easier and less mess. I miss the smell I remember from my childhood, but not having to water it and vacuum up needles. I find if I do like you do and find some sort of potporri or something that smells good, that is fine.

I use an artificial tree. It's lovely and looks very real. Real trees are a waste of money.

We got a cat about 4 years ago. A stupid cat that eats plastic, ribbon and Christmas wrap (which she barfs up). So we got what I call the world's cheesiest Christmas tree... A fake 2 foot tall half a tree which hangs over the fireplace. My family thought I was crazy and a Grinch and protested every year we had it. Well, last year we gave a real tree a try and it was fine. The cat left it alone for the most part. So despite the needles, which I hate, and my allergies we will probably never go back to artificial again. At least as long as the kids are living at home.

We typically leave our tree up from Advent (although sometimes earlier, because we often have time Thanksgiving weekend to look for our tree) through Epiphany and we have always had a real tree. I don't think I've ever spent more than $30 for a tree, and only once have I not cut it myself. Now that we're in the country, I just cut a balsam from our property. It's also legal to get apermit from the forest service to cut a tree for free. Anyway, a couple of us haev allergy issues, but so far it's not bad enough for me to sacrifice the smell! I love the tradition of hiking through the woods with my kids to find a tree. We have never, ever had an issue with needles just falling off our tree. You need to cut the trunk again when you put it in the stand so that the xylem and phloem (or however you spell that) are open so the tree gets water; otherwise, they seal up, especially if you buy a tree that's previously cut.

I use an artificial tree. Just bought it 3 years ago and couldn't be happier. It looks like a real one but it is much more cost-effective. The price of real trees just got wayyyyyyyy too high!

I'm putting mine up weekend after next and will take it down 2 - 3 days after xmas.

Only a real noble fir will do for us. I am also the mom that can have holiday decorations/tree up for 10-11 days max!! It has to come down on December 26th, I may have taken it down on the 25th last year when my daughter was at work.

Artificial ones are made with lead. I called the company to confirm this. Now, who knows HOW much if any we get exposed to. But I don't like the kids touching all around something made with lead, nor cleaning up the dust. It's just scary. At least real doesn't have that!

Real!!!

Ours lasts just fine. Cut on a bias (so its not flush to the bottom), in water immediately thereafter, and watered daily.

Goes up right after thanksgiving, and stays up until Jan 7th (in honor of my orthodox friends!). In general 6-7 weeks. Still fresh & lively when we take it down! :D

People I know who keep live evergreens up 2+ months usually 'condition' it (buy in early November, keep in garage / other warmer than outside, not as warm as inside for 2-4 weeks before bringing indoors). But I've seen live evergreens 3-4 months old.

Lol... I'm only keep mine for 6-8 weeks, though, so I don't condition it. Just cut on that bias, and sploosh. (Before the sap seals the 'injury', keeping it from drawing water.)

______

Hmmmm. Just realized the years I mulched around the house with the Christmas tree were years the basement DIDN'T flood. I think I'll try that token again. Those years we missed the tree recycle curb pickup (our city mulches trees, and sometimes credits our acct $10. but if the pickup is before 7th, I cut ours up myself).

Growing up, we always had a real tree. It went up Thanksgiving weekend and came down on New Year's Day.

Now, we don't get the real tree until Mid-December and leave it up until Mid-January.

I love the smell of the real trees. :)

We use an artificial tree that we bought used last year. I had wanted the artificial one because last year we had a 1 year old and I KNEW he would be pulling at the branches. I did not want to have to pick up tons of pine needles daily. However, event the fake tree shed a lot of needles, not sure if it is because the tree was used (who knows how long before we got it) or if that's how they just are.