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

I grew up with fresh trees every year, but when I was in high school my parents switched to artificial (I cried ). But, DH and I are going to get a fresh one this year. With 6 cats and 4 dogs this should prove interesting! We had a fresh tree 2 year ago, but only had 2 cats then. They still managed to demolish it between them.

I actually kind of like artificial trees. They are a pain to put up and take down, but now they do at least look real. And, you don't have to worry about still sweeping up the pine needles in the middle of summer. But, they just aren't the same.

What do you prefer?

We always used to get potted trees, and plant them in our yard once they got too heavy/big to manage. A couple of years ago, however, I bought an artificial tree, because it's much less attractive to Jamie, a.k.a. "the destroyer of Christmas trees". He still takes down the decorations every night ( they're cat toys, aren't they?), but is no longer inclined to climb around in the tree.

We're thinking about getting a potted tree this year, since we now have land to actually plant it in. Are they much more expensive than a regular cut tree?

Well, when I lived with my parents we always used fake. The first year on my own I used a fake but last Christmas DH and I got a real one. I was so excited like a little kid. They're kind of a pain in the butt, but I really love real trees.

Originally Posted by calico2222

We're thinking about getting a potted tree this year, since we now have land to actually plant it in. Are they much more expensive than a regular cut tree?

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they can be but call around ... I know locally to me they are about the same... I use artificial

Fake! SO much easier!

I ONLY do real trees! My policy. Its an argument my SO and I are already having about when we move in together!

Husband and I haven't put a normal sized tree up, we do have a small one. The cat thinks even the small one is her personal play toy, and we usually celebrate at others homes so there isn't a point to having our own huge one just yet. When we have kids we will have to choose fake or real. I like real due to the smell. But either can be gorgeous.

Originally Posted by Bella713

12 ft. Fake tree

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Goodness Helen, how tall are your ceilings?

I have a pre-lit artificial tree right now but this year I'm getting a real one

I love the smell of them and it reminds me of being back home in Kentucky

One year my dad cut a tree off our farm that was so big you couldn't walk around it You literally had to crawl under it to get to the other side of the room! It's still my favorite memories of Christmas as a kid


Sorry... hijack over

No tree for me..there can be no trees around Miss Trout

I think we only once had a real one while I was growing up.

Since I've been married (3 years), I've always had real trees. A co-worker's church gives them for a donation to their missionary program, so I like to buy mine there. The 1st year in my new house, I had 1 in the living room, and 1 in the family room. I didn't do that last year--just 1 in the LR; I turned the family room, which is bigger than my dining room, into a dining room over the holidays, so I had a small, potted fake one on a plaster column pedestal, simply decorated. Also, I had some of the foster cats downstairs then, and was worried how they would take to the trees! Now, I have 4 more cats downstairs than last year, and wonder if I should even have 1 trees, with these wild guys!

We usually hav a fake one, and have had fake ones since I was 8 years old.

I don't think I will bother with the tree this year

Originally Posted by Dixie_Darlin

Goodness Helen, how tall are your ceilings?

I have a pre-lit artificial tree right now but this year I'm getting a real one

I love the smell of them and it reminds me of being back home in Kentucky

One year my dad cut a tree off our farm that was so big you couldn't walk around it

You literally had to crawl under it to get to the other side of the room! It's still my favorite memories of Christmas as a kid

Sorry... hijack over

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We put it in the foyer

We used to have real ones when i was little, but it gets a pain after a while cleaning up the mess, getting one delivered, prices, then having this dead tree sitting outside the house for weeks before you can chop it up. I'm not huge on Christmas, but i do love the smell of a real pine tree. Somehow, my grandparents who are 70 & 87, still manage to have a real tree every year after about 52 years in Australia, despite health problems and trying to get the silly thing to fit in the lounge!

I have a tiny artificial tree, but I don't think I'll put it up this year. Last year, I tried to make it look nice, but the cats disagreed and within days, it looked like Charlie Brown's tree.

We always use artificial

Fake for me. I love real trees, but haven't had one in decades, plus it saves me money.

We use an artifical one (my mom just bought us a new one the other day! ) It's a 7 1/2 ft skinny one. (i prefer the thicker trees with a bit more girth to them- but we got this one because it will fit in the house better where we plan to put it ) One thing i really like about the artificial ones is that they are flame retardant, and they don't have to be replaced every years so i save $.

This is the one my mom got for me: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...trees-_-732834

I do LOVE the smell of a real tree though, so i'm thinking of getting a little tiny one to put in the house as well that won't be too much of a hassel to clean- but will still smell good!

DH insists on the real trees - I can take either - but think that artificial is easier to deal with. DH keeps saying "I'm not having an ARTIFICIAL Christmas!"....lol