Do you have a real or artificial tree? For many reasons we went to an artificial tree about 25 years ago. I won't go back. What do you have?

When I was young we always had a real tree. When I married my ex, we always had an artificial but since the divorce I went back to having a real tree. I think it's because I like going to the Christmas tree farms to find my own tree.

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Fake all the way.

I had a real tree the first year I had my own place after I graduated from college and I hated it. It was expensive and messy.

Got a fake the next year and have never looked back. I have a new fake this year, got it on 90% clearance last year, paid less than $5 for a 6 foot tree. Even if it only lasted 1 year, which it will last way more than that, it would still be cheaper than a real tree.

I like the look and smell of real trees but hate the bother. My parents have used fakes pretty much since fakes have been available due to my moms allergy to real trees. Her allergy isn't severe but why should she put up with having a sore throat all christmas when it isn't necessary?

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Real.....living in Maine makes finding a real tree easy. I can walk out in by backyard and chop one down, but we often buy one from a local nursery (they always look so perfect).

Growing up we always had a real tree BUT my dad was so afraid of fire and christmas lights that he would announce "we are going to turn on the lights" and we would run in and sit and look at the tree and then after an hour, he would turn them off so the tree wouldn't dry out. No fun really.

After I got married we got an artificial and I love having the lights on all the time. It is so less messy and expensive. We had our first tree for over 25 years and the second for about 10. It's so much easier too.

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We cut our own tree at a farm every year. Growing up we had an artificial for a few years. My Dad was colorblind and you had to match the color at the end of the branch to holes in the tree that were also colored. We always ended up with branches in the wrong place. The tackiest and most memorable tree was the year my Dad gave in to us kids and our request for a flocked tree. The only trouble was it was light purple and since he was so colorblind he couldn't tell. What a sight with one of those spinning things that had a big lightbulb and a plastic wheel of four colors so that as it spun the tree was bathed in colorful light. We still call that the psychedelic tree.

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We always had real growing up, too. DH & I had a real tree the 1st year we were married and then bought an artificial one and have had it ever since. I like the convenience of it. We need a new one, but haven't found one we like yet. My mom & dad bought an artificial on about 10 years ago and like it, too.

Lisa

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fake. dont like the mess or the smell of a real one, and prefer trees to be outside living than dead in my living room

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Fake--to afraid of fires.

Artificial. No mess and easier, but I do love the smell of pine.

It does seem to me that too many tress are cut down each year as there are usually many trees left by the time Christmas Day comes. Years ago, I remember a place in Nebraska that was selling the real trees for $5.00 a piece the day before Christmas to get rid of them. That went over well.

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All the reasons mentioned are whe we went to artificil. Allergies,cost, mess, fear of fire, having to cut to make it fit, vaccuming needles for weeks after. The list goes on.

Real always and forever... Peace. Catherine

Real. It's a tradition that our family goes and gets it together. We take a wagon ride and cut it ourselves. Something about the smell and the tree farm visit!

We had real for years, then switched to artificial for a few years. Switched back to real....mostly because I like 10-12 foot trees. There is a tree farm right around the corner from us. They'll even deliver if we pick out a tree that's too big to be bundled.

Ah the smell of a real tree in your home and then the smell of cinnamon sticks humm humm smells like christmas to me all the way....... Peace. Catherine

Live! I would miss the wonderful fragrance if we had an artificial tree.

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Artificial for me forever!

When I was growing up, we always had a real tree. My parents liked flocked trees (I don't) so we had one of them sometimes as well. We've had an artificial tree for the last seven years or so because of DH's allergies. I told him that I'd like to get a real tree this year. He said that was fine and didn't mention his allergies? To me, there is nothing like the smell of a real tree in your house at Christmas time...although I could do without the mess of all the needles. ~Lisa

artificial because it is easier for us. We put it in the corner thought because the bottom is so fake looking with the "branches" over a foot from the floor. We really need a new one, maybe this year on clearance!

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-Kristi

Fake because I put mine up so early. And I hated always cleaning up the needles at the end of the season.

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I know this sounds dumb, but I hate seeing the Christmas tree cadavers along the road after the holiday, just waiting for the garbage man to gather them up. Tree skeletons are just depressing.

Living in the city, there just isn't the opportunity to put a used up real tree out in the woods so it can decompose and return to the earth.

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We don't put one up. Right now the kitty would have a field day climbing it! If we did it would have to be real. I love the smell.

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It doesn't sound dumb to me. I agree 100%. I have friend who gushes every year over the huge beautiful tree she and her husband chop down. I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying, "Yeah, well if you left it in the forest, it would still be beautiful. Now it's dead."

We don't get a real tree, but we don't do a fake one either. I can't stand having stuff that you only use once a year clutter up the house. (We don't have "good" china or fancy silverware either.)

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We always have real ones. But after many hours of hunting for the perfect tree at various farms...my family banned me from paricipating...lol It's really just a joke...I drove them nuts.

Other years we've gotten free trees from relatives that sell them. I would wake up one Dec. morning and tthere would be a HUGE tree on my porch from my uncle. We would actually have to have guide wires and sometimes nail it to the floor through the carpet...it was great!! They were at least $80 trees. It was really sweet.

After my mom died a few years ago, Dec. 12th, I just put up a table top fake, but I'm back in the game now, just with a smaller real tree!

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Melissa

momrajum, that reminds me of our *tree problems*. DH won't let anyone else go get the tree. We can go with him, but we are banned from going without him. Let's just say that we have a tendancy to bring home really, really big trees. Twice, we almost broke the door jam trying to get the tree in. Two years ago, we sent DS and some friends. They came home with no tree on the car. It turned out that the tree was too big to bundle so the tree farm delivered it to us. I told DS "if the tree is too big to bundle, it's too big to bring home!". LOL

We used to have a neighborhood tree farm, but they shut down several years ago. Picked up an artificial at Target 90% off thereafter and that's what we use. Thinking of looking for a pre-lit (multi-colored, do they make those?) in the after-holiday sales this year since DH has become quite the grouch in the tree decorating department.

cj/

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My family makes a huge deal about what a pain I am about picking a tree. It's become favorite family holiday story. ;0( So I'm particular about my tree...I don't see what the problem is. lol Ok..so over an hour to pick a tree may be a bit extreme, but it only happens once a year!!!

On a more serious note.......my DH really does not like decorating the tree because of some childhood issues. He's better now, but it's hard for him.

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Melissa

Cjs, yes there are pre-lit trees available with mutli-color lights.
My parents have one they got at Target.

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Add me to the "picky" list! The boys always tease me, but DH I think gets frustrated over it (of course he never says anything!). We usually end up at 2 or 3 farms before "I" decide. But, in general, that's how I am with anything (we've been out furniture shopping for new couches and have been to 5 stores and haven't found what I want!)

I whole-heartedly agree. If one chooses to have a real tree, fine. But it at least should be turned into mulch and not thrown away.

Along the same lines, as magnificent as it looks, I do not like it when they cut down a 75 foot Norway pine every year for The Rockefellar Center tree. These trees are around 80 years old, and are cut down for our short-term enjoyment. I don't get it.

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