Fresh tree or artificial, what do you use for Christmas?

Nothing but artificial for me. I've always had a white tree and would decorate with all red and gold ornaments with clear lights. I 've had a 'slim' tree for the past 10 yrs and hung around a 1,000 lights on it. I permanently attached the lights as best I could, never took the tree apart so I didn't have to re-string it with lights every year [gawd, what a pain to have to do THAT!]. The tree's pretty much 'shot' by now so I'm gonna try and find a decent looking red tinsel tree that's pre-lit.

'Course you know that ALL XMas decorations come from China and I can't help but notice that all their trees look pretty crappy. Crappy in the sense that the branches are all smushed & crushed looking [from the packing].

What is it with those 'upside down' trees they sell at certain stores? I can't help but feel it's an subtle insult to Christian believing peoples from an anti religeous country' such as China. What do YOU think about it???

Fake here...... I want to get a taller one, 12 feet would be awesome! Maybe I could get a real tree that was about that tall! Of course.....how would I get it here, because I'm not putting in on the roof of my car!

Plus I need to figure out how to keep a tree from falling every night before I buy a real tree and see it destroyed in less than a week.

lol i just have a small fiber optic tree that i set up. fits on the table

We're going to get an artificial tree, for a few reasons.

The main reason is the pets. I'd hate to spend the money on a real tree only to have the cats climbing it or Dozer trying to knock it over with his tail (it never stops wagging when he's in a good mood and awake!).

The second reason is the cost, pure and simple. We're planning on getting a $30 six foot tall tree. Not the best tree in the world, but this year's focus is on the new baby and spending time as a seemingly ever-growing family. I'd rather have more money to make sure that everybody gets something for Christmas/Yule, including the pets.

The third reason is that I hate killing a tree just for decoration. I don't consider myself a "tree-hugger" by any means, but I am definitely pagan, and I have a closeness with the earth and growing things in general. I just couldn't get my head around doing that. Maybe I'm a wacko

I love real trees but am allergic, so if I want to breathe indoors at all during the holidays we have to have a fake one.

We have always done real. It's not Christmas without it I mean, despite my treehugger tendencies I'm willing to sacrifice it for a few nights of that blissful christmas smell. And besides, the cats adore sleeping under it.

Originally Posted by K.J.

We have always done real. It's not Christmas without it

I mean, despite my treehugger tendencies I'm willing to sacrifice it for a few nights of that blissful christmas smell. And besides, the cats adore sleeping under it.

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Heh, I'll give you that one! My parents always had a real tree and I loved it. The cost of having one does keep going up and up and up though!

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I love real trees but am allergic, so if I want to breathe indoors at all during the holidays we have to have a fake one.

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After a few really bad years with a real tree, I have an artificial one now.

We will always have a real one!!
Most christmas trees are grown on tree farms and they are a very good renewable resource so you don't have to feel bad about getting a real one. Plus I know that least around here if one lives in town you can drop the tree off at the recycling station and get or donate a free conifer seedling in the spring.
When we are done with our tree we put it by the birdfeeder as a roost and then chip it up in the spring.

I could never bring myself to put up a tree that gave it's life for a frivolity, I know that's just silly of me, and I probably would not feel so bad about it if there was some sort of tree recycling around here as in most large cities.
I love the smell of live though and prefer a live (potted) tree to a fake, but I have not put up a tree in many, many years.

We used to put up a fake tree because its not so messy. But we haven't decorated since we moved into our house 3 years ago. We decided to give our tree to a family that didn't have one, just wanted to spread some christmas cheer! We even bought them brand new ornaments to start off their tree

Well, for the past two years I mhave had a really lovely artificial tree - my first ever! I do miss the fresh tree fragrance, and I was also REALLY surprised at how much work it was to put together, fluff, etc - hey, I thought it was supposed to be fast and easy! This year, I did think about a fresh tree - but - I also am anxious to put the tree up - in fact I hope to do it next week because I have a four day weekend! So, artifical makes more sense because of the length of time it will be up. And then there is Big Mo the Monster Man...whatever I do, he will try to climb, etc.
I think my compromise will be to buy a Norfolk pine (living) and put my cat and bird ornaments on that tree!
Those upside down trees were originally meant to display Christmas ornaments in "holiday" shops. (I believe) It gave the store more floor space, etc and showed off the ornaments because the would hang "free" of the tree! The first time that I saw one of those trees was back in the 70's. I went to visit my college sorority sister in Virginia and she had one hanging from the guest bedroom ceiling filled with ornaments! She owned a craft shop on Alexandria, VA. and had brought it home from the shop because she loved Christmas so much!

For people who love the fresh pine scent but are using artificial trees...after my parents got an artificial tree, we would still go to the christmas tree lots and got fresh boughs (they were usually free, but sometimes we had to pay a few dollars). Most tree places do try to shape the trees and have tons of fresh cut pine. We used it to decorate the mantle and bookcases, but they can be formed into wreaths, put in arrangements, etc. That way, the house still smelled like Christmas.

We always had fake trees when I was a kid, when I got married, we would go and cut our own tree. we have several farms in our area,now I have this
awesome 6ft. fake, already put together, on it's own stand switch looks like a tree trunk, the branches fold upward to store and when you bring it out, all ya do is push them back down. I love it it's perfect!

Originally Posted by PookieBoy

What is it with those 'upside down' trees they sell at certain stores? I can't help but feel it's an subtle insult to Christian believing peoples from an anti religeous country' such as China. What do YOU think about it???

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Oddly enough, it's a tradition in some parts of northern Germany and Scandinavia to hang trees upside down from the ceiling. A lot of cat guardians have adopted the practice.

We have mostly only used the fake ones. Less mess and I don't really see a reason to go cut one down every year.