Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We have a fake tree. So much easier setting up, putting away, it's always the right size and shape...

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Fake. I am very anal and reall trees always look misshapen to me. I need a perfectly shaped and symmetrical tree or it drives me nuts. I just hate how a real tree looks, sorry.
Plus the hassle of getting one and lugging it home, having to water it, the fire hazard and dropping needles everywhere. ..no thanks.
Plus it always seems like such a waste to throw out a tree every year after the holidays. I hate seeing that.

Message edited 11/25/2016 5:17:05 PM.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We have a real tree delivered to our house. I prefer a real tree, though it is a hassle. I had a friend in college whose grandfather owned a Christmas tree farm, and I learned that it takes 7 years to grow a Christmas tree. So they had 7 fields and just keep replanting and rotating fields to harvest. That made me feel better about getting a real tree.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

REal...always...I grew up with fake and longed for a real tree. We go to a local farm, walk up and down with the 2 kids while they choose /argue over which one to bring home...pop it on the truck..bring it home..discover its too big...cut it down...vaccuum up all the fallen pine needles..water it...and basically take care of it until the New year. Worth every minute.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Fake. We travel too much during the holidays to care for a real tree.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Fake tree that is about 25 years old and looks very real.
I can put it up the beginning of December and take it down for Little Christmas and not have to worry about it drying out too fast.

I don't like too many lights or branches that are too dense to hang ornaments on.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We used to cut down our own tree at this great family owned farm (Grandpa Tony's Tree Farm), but it was sold and sadly he passed away this year. Everywhere we looked was much more overpriced, and last year was the first year we got a tree from Home Depot. It wasn't the same. This year we may try Stew Leonard's for a tree.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We always get a real tree from a local nursery. I have never had a fake tree.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

My whole life we had real trees. We'd sometimes make special trips to Christmas tree farms and cut down our own. There is nothing like a real tree to me. Even the "really good" fake ones still look fake and it ruins it for me. I actually wish they'd make the fake ones a little less perfect so that they'd look more real.

That said, DH is the one who does the brunt of the tree work and he insisted on going the fake route a few years ago. I hate the thing, it feels like a soulless impostor. Why can't they at least make the trunk look thick enough to actually be real? I don't even get the illusion from across the room.

When my kids are older, I will insist on cutting down out own tree at least once so that they can have the experience.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

I've always had a real tree and I will until the day I die. I like that each year our tree looks a little different and I love the smell. We go with a big group, some years cut one day and some year we go to a nursery and get one and than we all go out to lunch. Its one of my favorite days of the year.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

I grew up with a fake tree and I mean literally "a" as in one: my mother still has the same fake tree that my parents got in 1979 - the year after I was born!

I just saw it yesterday and it still looks pretty good after 35 uses (it didn't go up the year my dad passed and again due to Sandy.)

I am used to fake although I can see the appeal of a real one. (Side note: my mom would shudder to hear me say fake - she worked for Harrows and they had to call them "permanent trees." )

I currently have a nice, full, fake tree from Target- not pre-lit though. Years ago I had a pre lit tree but a bunch of the lights kept going out and we ended up cutting off all of them off one year.

I would try pre lit again one day because that was some time ago and I would think they make them better now. I actually looked during the post holiday sales last year but couldn't find anything that was discounted enough that I liked. I'm glad I didn't waste the money - I actually just finished my tree and doing the lights was no big deal.

Message edited 11/25/2016 7:40:33 PM.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

This is our first year with a fake, pre-lit tree and OMG, it's seriously amazing. We went last year the day after Christmas at like 8AM to Harrow's on 110 and got a great deal on an artificial tree -- was originally like $850 and we walked out with it for $250 -- it was a floor model and we got an additional discount because of that. We just put it up today and it's beautiful. No sap to deal with, no needles all over the floor, no filling it with water, no having to balance it and screw it into the stand, no turning it to hide bald spots, no having to hold up tons of trees in a lot to find one that looks good, etc. I never thought I'd be one to advocate for a fake tree because we always had a real one growing up, but I'm never going back! As for not having the "tree smell", I bought a pack of those tree scent things that look like icicles and the house smells just a like a fresh cut pine!

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We do a real one. I could be happy with a fake one- DH always stresses so much about driving home with it on the roof, and it makes such a mess. But he and DD want the real one.

I am going to get a smaller, second tree this year, a fake one. It'll go on our coffee table which is in front of a big window in front of the house. For years I've wanted a woodland-creature themed tree but I love all my sentimental ornaments so this year my little tree will fill my dream.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

I always had a fake one growing up. For the past 13 years we've gotten real ones. I'm actually surprised at how many people voted fake ones. We love the real.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Always had a pre-lit but it would be cool to experience a real one in the future.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Grew up with always having a fake tree and always desperately wanted a real tree. I've had a real tree all my adult life and I'm over it. Mentioned to DH a couple of times recently that I'd be fine with a pre-lit artificial tree but he still wants real. We got it today from Home Depot and I have to say, it's a really nice one

Message edited 11/25/2016 8:42:18 PM.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

We have a fake tree. I'm allergic to the pine smell, so a real one is out. I do all the lights and I love our tree.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Fake tree that came with our house lol. There were actually two in the basement when we moved in so we use one and gave one away.
I considered getting a new one this year when target had them half off but we just started construction so I figured it's not the best timing. Maybe next year we'll get a prelit.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

I grew up with real but have a fake pre-lit one now. I have no time to water, string lights, etc. I do love the real ones though, there is NOTHING like the smell of a real tree!

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

One of each. We have a fake 12 foot tree in our entrance with uniform ornaments. Then we have a tradition to go cut down a real tree which is the one we decorate as a family and where the presents get left under.

Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Fake prelit all the way. I don't like real.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Real. DH is adamant on that! He never had a tree growing up (his family doesn't celebrate Christmas) so he wants the real deal.

I thought after the first year he'd change his mind because of the mess, but nope. He loves it. There's nothing like the smell of a real tree.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

Never had a fake, but I can see the appeal. It will never happen though.

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

I love real trees and for a few years DH and I did real trees but I love to put up the tree the week of Thanksgiving so now we do fake.

As a kid we always had real trees until I was in high school and then my parents swutched to a fake tree. I use to love bundling up and going out as a family to choose our tree, it was always so fun!

Re: Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?