Christmas Trees: Real or Artificial?

blakstang98

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So I currently own a fiber-optic Christmas Tree, but it's only 4 feet tall, or something. Last year I figured that I'd buy a taller version of it, as I was now living on my own. I had an awful time finding one and ended up sticking with my smaller version of the tree. So this year I'm searching again for a larger one.

As for the discussion at hand, some think that a real Christmas Tree is the only way to go. I've heard various reasons for this, but I still don't see why it should be the only option. I mean, it's fairly pricey to buy a tree every year, when you can buy an artificial tree once and use it for 10 years, possibly longer. And in the case of the fiber-optic tree, it looks really cool and I don't have to screw around with lights (because I'm sure most of you know the issues with Christmas Tree lights). :lew:

So do you prefer real Christmas Trees or artificial, and why?
 
I kept my fake tree ever since I was a kid, and its still in nice shape,so if im answering your question you know that im talking about having an artificial tree. But actually I unbuild it after every christmas and take out the beautiful lights, its not hard to rebuild my fake tree and put back the lights when christmas is nearby. Its not the way to go for me, you have any kind of tree then you have a tree,thats all. But Its the lights that I have to change and buy new ones every year, a bit off topic there but it fits. So you probably keep your fake or real tree somewhere in your house when its not chritmas. I think real trees and fake trees are the same thing when in a situation of decorating it, except the smell of course.
 
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Artificial they are harder to set up but they look better IMO and they are less messy then real one's every time we have had a real Christmas tree there are always bit's everywhere from it and like you say they last a lot longer.
 
My parents always buy a real Christmas tree, and it is a lot better. I could cope with a fake one for myself, but the real ones do feel more homely and magical.

My parents have a tradition where they put all of the baubles they have collected over their lifetime on the tree, and they always buy a new bauble every year. Each tree is by now completely full with baubles, including little things me and my sister made as children (placed at the back though, so it doesn’t look too tacky :wacky:). It’s pretty cool to look at, though the tree gets busier with every year. It has a lot of importance when it is erected though. As a result it is kept there for much longer than some people keep their trees up.

In the eventual future when I'm moved out and such I'll probably get an artificial tree for myself, but over Christmas periods I'll probably pop over to my parents' house as often as possible over that period, for as long as I can into my life. My parents’ tree will always feel like the ‘real’ tree, whereas my one would just be the ‘tree at my place’. We have strong family traditions at Christmas and it would be difficult to break them entirely.

So really, there is no harm in an artificial tree. I do much prefer the atmosphere a real tree creates though. You can tell when a tree is fake, and the real deal is fantastic: the smell, the feel, and the sight of needle-leaves that have dropped off gathering on the floor. It’s pretty special if you could ever do it. A bit irritating to get it into your living room though, and even more so getting it out and tidying up.
 
I hate chopping/killing real trees - let alone having to chop or buy one each and every year. So I prefer the artificial kind. We have this huge white tree that's about 8 feet tall and we've had it since I was 5 years old, and it's still as beautiful as ever. And hardly anyone uses a real tree around where I live anyhow.
 
I prefer real trees, but we don't have room in our house for one, they're so much bigger than the fake ones we get. That and if we got a real one, our cats would either pull it down or eat the needles, which isn't great either way :lew:

I can cope with fake ones, they look fine, it's just the plastic base that lets the whole thing down.
 
I prefer real ones, but they're just so messy that it's hard to make a really good case for them. Unless you get some really good artificial tree, of course. I've only had like one real one for Christmas, and I remember we spent a whole week cleaning its underside because all the needles fell off. :lew:
 
I'd hapilly say no tree

Ive never bought one, Ive inherited my mothers old ones, I had a massive one that I fell on and snapped in half, and this one I have is a shitey fucking fibre optic thing. It's a nightmare to put up, all the stupid colour coordinated bits, and the cat always fucking knocks it over as well

Id never get a real one though, fuck that, fucking bad enough that I find decorations for months to come after the fuckign tree has come down, never mind prickly fucing pine needles all over the show

And. Youre chopping down a tree to make your room look pretty and then cob out a few weeks later. Also, I wouldnt be able to get rid of the fucker when i was done
 
Ugh I really don't like Christmas Trees at all.

My mother insisted that I buy one when I moved out. Should of made her pay for it really. <_<

I've always had artificial ones.

I don't like the real ones, as you don't know what bugs and such you're bringing into the house and they get messy too.

At least with fake ones you only buy it once and can keep it for a few years.

I'm considering selling the one I bought last year. We actually set it up last Christmas and it's still sitting in the corner. Never took it down. Thought we'd leave it for this Christmas and then take it down and either get a fiber-optic tree or no tree at all.

But Artificial is definitely the way to go in my opinion. =)
 
We've always had artificial Christmas trees, and I think they've always looked really nice and just felt "normal" so I can't see the point in getting a real Christmas tree; they stink to high heaven and you have to wear shoes in your living room for weeks D=<
 
We always use artificial. I'll also stick with artificial when I move out.Not only is it saving money and/or hard work but we are also saving trees too. I also heard people who use real trees also have to still raise it like a regular plant. So I think I will save time and money and just get an artificial tree and reuse it.
 
Even though I love the smell of real trees, and my ultimate goal would be to somehow get a still-living one and then replant it outside (if I lived in an area where they naturally occurred :hmph:), I hate the idea of cutting them down just for a holiday and then having them go to waste in a compost heap :sad3: (Hell, we try not to even use wrapping paper, my husband and I often just wrap each other's gifts in towels or clothes if we can get away with it.) Plus, though the needles don't bother me, where I live even a small tree can cost you at least $50, which is cool because it probably deters people from buying them but is ridiculously expensive if you are intent on buying one. So, I would say that a nicely done fake one would definitely be the best option.
 
We've had the same artificial Christmas tree every year for as long as I can remember, and I can't say I mind it very much. A real tree would probably make the room smell pretty awful, or to avoid that mother would light one of her godawful candles...

I'm quite content with an artificial tree, although I honestly don't much care about having one anymore.
 
to be honest

i don't really care

just make sure there's a big family get together with a bunch of food, that always makes me happy. :monster:
 
I always get a real Christmas tree. For me it's all about the experience. I always look forward to going to the Christmas tree lot and picking out the perfect tree. Then hauling it home and try to get the sucker in the house and then set up.

It's a huge pain in the butt and is a lot of work, but for me it feels more like Christmas. I am a Christmas nut and I don't want to miss out on getting my tree every year, it's just another part of Christmas that I get to enjoy and partake in
 
fake

it last for years and doesnt leave a mess. Cant afford to be buying a real tree every year so a nice shiny plastic one does me just great. Take it out, decorate, and when christmas is done slap it in the box and throw it back into the attic ready for next year.
 
Artificial, because I can put it up much earlier and take it down later :) I like to make the holiday season last as long as possible. Also, I hate when all the needles fall off the real ones.
 


We use an artificial tree in our house.

I don't believe in cutting down a tree to keep in your house for 2-3 weeks and tossing it in the garbage when Christmas is over. I personally see it as a complete waste of our forests...however when I go over to people's houses that do have them they do smell really good.
 
Well last year we finally decided to get a real tree again after not getting them and deciding to permanently get fake trees again, we packed our fake tree up and locked it away and went down to Lowe's to pick our real tree -- first mistake :brooding:-- then we finally picked out tree out it looked perfect, all the branches looked perfect it was a dark healthy pine green color, we even just finished buying new ornaments for this year and as soon as we took our "Tree" home we realized it made no pine Christmas smell whatsoever, this was scarcely odd because -- they spray painted a dead tree green :sad3:

Christmas was practically ruined! :rage:

So I prefer Fake Trees now.
 
I like the idea of naturals, they're cheaper as well, but we've always had artificials. Half the fun was building the bloody tree branch by branch, then decorating it came after, then hoovering up the shite was last. Standing on the hooks was never fun though, like standing on a plug.
 
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