Christmas Question of the Day- Real or Fake?

[gracielou]

Do you do a real Christmas tree each year or a fake Christmas tree and why?

We just started doing a real tree about 2 years ago. I have such wonderful memories of when I was a kid and going with my mom and step dad to the Christmas tree lot and picking out a real tree. It would be so cold and lots of times snowing and it was so fun going through all the trees until we found the perfect one. I wanted to pass that on to my children in some small way. I hope they will have the same wonderful memories I did.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Allergies suck

[MamaBee]

Well... I always grew up with a fake tree and I still have one to this day... if I had my way, the tree would be up until Easter!! I burn candles for that evergreen smell... Ha, ha!!

[Jenn Barrette]

I am happy with a fake tree.

[Megan Turnidge]

REAL!! That smell just makes me soooo happy.

[meganmecrazy]

Hubby's allergic to real

[sprauncey1]

Fake unless we are home in the Pacific Northwest. Otherwise the trees are just too old/dried out to last and way too expensive. So pretty much as long as we are in the military we shall be using the fakies!

[nikkiARNGwife]

We did real trees for a few years but honestly my mild OCD can't stand the mess lol...I spent all my time vacuuming dead needles..

[emmasmommy]

Fake. Babes and husbands with allergies are no fun!

[heathergw]

Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin

Allergies suck

Ditto!

[lliella]

erm.. no real tree where i live!

[ajf9597]

Fake, I would love real, but just can't bring myself to deal with the mess.

[digideb]

DH & I are both very allergic. So, fake for us!

[DawnMarch]

I love real trees, but after our first year in Arizona, we've had a fake one. The trees here are already dried out by the time they ship them here and by the time you put them up the needles are already falling off. Some people actually soak them in their swimming pool overnight before putting them up, but I can't be bothered with all that. So, we splurged on a really nice, full, fake tree. I miss the smell of a real tree, but not the mess.

[Jennilyn]

I always had a real tree as a kid but when I moved out we weren't allowed to have a real one so we've had an artificial tree ever since. Real ones cost like $30 now plus I like to put mine up at the end of November so I guess it's better to have an artificial one, even if we're allowed to have a real one in our house now.

[Balinda]

We do fake because I like to put it up so early....plus my cats would have
the real one destroyed and needles would be everywhere.

[Shawna]

Growing up we always had real trees at my Dad/Stepmom's house and fake at my Mom/Stepdad's house. I love real trees but it's easier to have a fake one at home with 3 kids who won't leave the tree alone so that's what we do. My Dad still gets a HUGE real tree every year, like so big it takes several people just to get it into the house! They have really really high vaulted ceilings and most years the top of the tree actually touches the ceiling! So I just go over there and enjoy their pretty trees!

[kscwgirl]

I've never had a real tree.. always fake

[krystalhartley]

f. a. k. e.

I'm am SEVERELY allergic to many species of Christmas trees.
I hate the needles everywhere.
Fire hazard.
Disposal after Christmas.
I can buy the fake ones pre-lit.

[HeatherKS]

We always had a fake tree growing up, and since I inherited my mom's OCD I'm sure I'll always have a fake one too. That and the real trees make me itch with contact so it would never be fun for me to decorate a real one.

[rachaelsscraps]

I want a real tree but can't! My MIL is allergic and even though she lives a few hours away, I still can't get a real tree because she comes and visits once a month. Darn it all! I really want a real Christmas tree!!! Errrr!

[Leila]

We use artificial trees. Nobody is allergic to the real deal, I just can't stand the smell of pine trees. Yuck!

[junebug]

we had real ones on occasion when i was a kid. but mom found a really neat fake one that had a real wood stem/trunk and smelled like a real tree but wasn't. but we have a fake one. easier. no mess. i'd be afraid my dogs or kids would knock it down, lol.

[oohlala]

I love love love real trees. But, a couple of years ago we bought one, got home put it up, only to discover that the trunk of the tree was covered in fire ants... (we got rid of it immediately) We like to have never gotten those dad' blasted things outta our house. So I use a fake pre-lit tree, and burn tree-smellin' candles!!
AL

[~Julie~]

For the past few years we have had real ones but after we moved into our house we decided we didn't want to have to deal with the needles and cleanup of them so we bought a fake one and we have gotten so many compliments that it looks so real.

[tuneskids]

we've always had a real tree, never a fake ... growing up and now as an adult with my own family. Every year. lol

[scrapmonkey]

Definitely fake. I can't keep houseplants alive and I remember when growing up how we would have to keep adding water to keep it from going brown and shedding needles all over the presents. And what a pain to put up. Besides, I'd rather leave the real trees out there because of the environment. And now that we have dogs, we even have to do a tabletop tree otherwise they get into the tree and other stuff...

[pewtertm]

I've always had a fake tree. I like the idea of getting a live tree, but considering ours is sometimes up for 6 weeks...I don't want to deal with the watering, etc. Plus having a big dog and 3 cats...um...no...I can just imagine what we'd find under the tree...and it wouldn't be presents.

[Paula]

My hubs always gets a tree permit and cuts one. He loves the smell of the fresh trees.

[Julie Billingsley]

Originally Posted by HeatherKS

That and the real trees make me itch with contact so it would never be fun for me to decorate a real one.

me too!

I always feel bad about the fake tree because I ADORE the real trees and being in Oregon we have so many fresh beautiful trees available. However, I'm always the one that has to water the tree and as I've gotten older my allergies to evergreens have really increased. Plus now we put up our tree early so it would never last all the way to Christmas if it was real. I need to go to yankee candle and get some evergreen tarts!

[carriesmom]

I grew up on real trees and I used to feel like Fake trees were somehow disgracing the spirit of Christmas. I have a fake one now and i love it. No cleanup and dropped needles, no spilled water and I can reuse it. I am a convert!

[Nettio]

We always went to the cut-your-own tree farm growing up and picked out a real tree. But once my sister and I were in college, my parents decided to avoid the hassle and cost and get a fake tree instead.

I have to say while I loved the real tree it's hard to beat the convenience of a fake one. I have a fake tree too now and I love that I can leave it up for as long as I want without worrying about it drying out.

[Lizzy257]

I would love a real one, but am too lazy for the effort involved

[neenee]

We do a fake tree. We have only had a real tree once and I hated the mess that the pine needles made on my floor and my allergies are just so horrible....that I wouldn't be able to stand it.

[Stacey42]

If I can find the potted replantable type of real tree I will get it, but they are hard to come by anymore, generally pricy and usually under 4ft tall. None of that mattered before we had kids. But I no longer have the time or money to search out & pay for them, not to mention keep the watered and clean up aftet them, so it's been fake for the past 8-9 years & I'm good with that. We got a pre-lit this year and I'm delighted with it.

[jessica31876]

fake although I am not sure we are putting up a tree at all this year

[mummytothree]

Originally Posted by tuneskids

we've always had a real tree, never a fake ... growing up and now as an adult with my own family. Every year. lol

Ditto I've never ever had a fake one in my 35 years. Actually going out and cutting it down is the very start to our holiday season and traditions!!!

[Emmy]

The responses on this poll really surprised me! I thought it was much less common to get a fake tree.

We get a real one. When we can (say when I'm not on bedrest pregnant with twins....) we go cut one down from a tree farm. But sometimes we just go buy a real one at a place here in town.

[Nathalie]

Never had a fake tree and since living in Australia we always go to a christmas tree farm, do a tractor ride with the kids and choose our own tree - The kids love it!

The fake trees I could afford look ridiculous and the one I would consider to buy costs $700 - no way I would spend that much money on a fake tree

[WalkersMommy]

I grew up with a fake tree all my life, so as soon as I moved out with DH, we got a real one.

[sannajeannine]

We always did a live one but my husband died and after quite a few years of not wanting to put a tree up at all I finally gave in a couple of years ago and bought a 3 foot fake to please the grandkids. So fake it is.....

[nun69]

much eaasier to keep up with...plus it will stay up longer..can't imagine getting a real tree right after thanksgiving and it still being good to go on xmas!

[lovely1m]

I picked real cause thats what I love, but we have a fake tree, cause thats whats easy.

[clearskies]

Real. I love the smell. I love the fact that I don't have to store it. And I don't mind vacuuming up the needles, it just comes with the territory.

[litabells]

Fake for us. Our Christmas is always so hot that a real tree would dry up in no time

[Ainwena]

Growing up, I lived in Washington state, and we used to go out and cut them down in the forest (totally illegal). It was our one law breaking activity that we did. Then, when I got older, we would go to U-cut farms, which were easier, but more expensive.

Now we live in Arizona, and the trees in the lot are expensive, so we bought a fake one a few years ago. We should break even next year, and it is in awesome condition, so I am happy with a fake one for now. I can adjust the limbs any way I want to make it look thin or thick.

If I lived in a state with trees though, we would go to the U-cut farm. No sense having a fake one if you can get a real one easily.

[Sharon Kay]

Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin

Allergies suck

I agree! We always have a fake tree...but just because it's easiest and cheapest. Then one year our Cub Scout pack sold evergreen wreaths and unfortunately my dh volunteered to house them in our garage...I was sick for a MONTH before we realized WHAT was making me sick!

[lizzyfizzy]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

f. a. k. e.

I'm am SEVERELY allergic to many species of Christmas trees.
I hate the needles everywhere.
Fire hazard.
Disposal after Christmas.
I can buy the fake ones pre-lit.

hahahaha.

WERD!

[d2vasquez]

I grew up with a fake tree so it seemed just normal for us to have one now...besides we have cats and putting up our tree is always a challenge for us to keep it decorated til Christmas!

[Teresa]

Another one with allergies- I've always had a fake tree and love it just the same!