Christmas trees - Real or Fake

luvmykids wrote: I've used a fake tree for the past few years but decided living in the mountains we need a real one this year. I found out it's only $10 for a permit to cut your own but I have no clue who would do it for me

Nina J replied: We have a fake one. DH and I decided to buy a good quality one so that it'd last for years, then in the long run it'd end up being cheaper than getting a real tree each year.

sparkys2boys replied: I didn't vote because this year I will have both. I am putting up a fake tree and also a real one too.

flirtycuddle replied: We are actually going today to buy our tree. It's an 8' prelit tree. I've always had fake trees and at one point even had the tree I grew up with but it was looking a lil shabby so we are buying a new one.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Fake and this year I got a prelit one. No needles to pick up and no watering. I don't like the idea of water and electric lights anyway. We always had a fake one growing up because my brother and sister are allergic. But I think I would have gone artificial when I moved out anyway, it's just easier for me. And it's a one time expense as opposed to an every year one.

gr33n3y3z replied: Fake bc were allergic to real ones

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Real ~ I grew up with real trees and just can't have it any other way. We go to a tree farm and cut our own.

My3LilMonkeys replied:

Cece00 replied: Fake & prelit. Even though I love the idea of a real tree, I dont do them. Too messy and too much work.

Calimama replied: Fake.. we did a real one last year.. NEVER again.

redchief replied: Fake. There's something to be said for plastic needles and wire. It matches the plastic covered twinkle lights and nylon angel topper... don't you think?

Boo&BugsMom replied: Fake for us. We have two cats and the daycare so I am afraid to take chances. Although the kids and our young kitten have been doing pretty well with it, I'm still cautious.

Insanemomof3 replied: I always get real ones. But they are such a pain. I think from now on I may just go with fake.

My2Beauties replied: We've had a real tree every year, but I voted fake because this year we don't want to deal with the hassle of a real tree, so we're gonna go buy a fake one, I don't want to be sweeping and vaccuming up tree needles for months again this year! I love the smell of real trees and there is something about going out and picking up your tree and tieing it to the top of your car to take it home...but then there is making sure it's not too tall, making sure you get it into the tree stand straight up and tight enough, keeping water in it, moving presents around to put water in it every so many days It gets to be a hassle... I feel lazy this year

skinkybaby replied: We've done a fake tree for the last few years. I hate them. The first few years we lived in an apartment and we weren't allowed to have a real tree. Then last year we were going to be out of town the week of Christmas so we just put the fake one up. But no more!! I hate fake ones.

Kaitlin'smom replied: fake, never had a real one. I would like to have one someday but I dont trust my cats

MyLuvBugs replied: We have to have a fake one b/c I'm so allergic to the real ones. But at least our fake one looks real. LOL

1lilpeanut2love replied: Fake all the way. I wish we could get a Real one, but Fake is easier.
We just put our Fake Tree up today!!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: OMG! No offense to anyone, but I'm so shocked that fake is winning out! I understand that some are allergic, but what about the yummy smell!!? Do fake ones have a smell?? I have always had real trees because I absolutely LOVE the part of picking one out, strapping it to your roof and smelling it everytime you walk in the house! That's truly my favorite part of the holiday!

I don't think you can just go and cut one down without a permit. I live in Colorado and I think it's illegal to go cut a tree down in the mountains, but I know they have farms where you can pay to go do it yourself. I just go to the corner lot and pick one out...much easier! But when the boys get older, I think we'll head to the mountains!

mckayleesmom replied:
They make candles with the smell now



Growing up we always had real trees, but we do fake ones now because dh is allergic.......bah humbug.

ZandersMama replied:

luvmykids replied:
I'm suprised at how many use a fake too...I thought I was a rare abomination the last few years

Here you can go to any of the National Forest ranger stations, get a permit, and go cut your own tree. The only rule is not cutting the top off a tall tree, and in some forests certain species are off limits. I was shocked how cheap, $5 for a tree under 10 feet, $10 over 10 ft. I think I may have my dad talked into it

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
WOW! That IS cheap! We paid $65 for a 7 ft tree last year! The money went to boy scouts....but still!

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Same here. The real trees go anywhere from $40-$75. I only paid $70 for my fake one that looks real and will last (kind of) forever and it's 7 feet tall!

Other than my other excuses (kids and cats) I also hate cleaning up the many pine needles that come off of the darned things, so fake it best for us.

3xsthefun replied: We will get a real tree, we had a fake tree one year, I don't think we will ever get another fake tree.

holley79 replied: I grew up always getting a real tree. That was kind of our holiday tradition was going out and cutting down a tree. Well since I have been with DH we have only had one real tree and that's because he was in Spain and I went to the tree farm and got my own. It was very crooked by the way.

Donna027 replied: Ive always loved real trees but have always had a fake one. Theres less mess, no worry about watering, and you can have it up as long as you'd like. I usually run out of time and keep ours up till Valentines day

Crystalina replied: Growing up my mom would always get a real tree and I will never forget the lovely feeling of a pine needle in the foot first thing in the morning. Not only that we were digging pine needles out of the carpet well into spring.
For me it's always fake now. No pine needles and no fires and no watering the tree. Less maintenance and we can enjoy earlier and longer then a real tree. My house is surrounded by the real deal so if we ever get the urge we can just step outside.

boyohboyohboy replied: we are doing fake and really small this yr due to the small kids in the house, i dont want a tree accident!

MyBrownEyedBoy replied:
Rae, you had trees? I thought you were Jewish. No offense meant. I just never knew any Jews with trees up in their houses when I lived in the east.

grapfruit replied: Well this year I had the fake one all the way up (took forever) and I was working on fluffing the branches. I HATE fluffing the branches. I looked at my b/f and asked him why we were putting up this crappy tree (sure it looks nice when you're finished but it's such a PAIN). He walked over stripped the tree back down and we went a bought a real one. It was up and ready to decorate in no time. Plus it's BEAUTIFUL (if I do say so myself)

Here's a picture (before decorations)

P.S. I love the smell too!!!

lisar replied: I like the real ones due to the fact that I like the smell.

Sarah&Mackenzie replied: We just bought a fake pre lit tree.

mom21kid2dogs replied: If I ever get a fake tree you can cancel Christmas!!!

Crystalina replied: You can buy that smell at Wal-Mart and have less mess. I have 4 Yorkies. If I had a real tree it would smell like dog pee before the joyous holiday season was over.

luvbug00 replied: We get real one at my parents house ( mya is allergic not like they care) and then a fake one everywhere else.

jcc64 replied: Real all the way for us. I live in upstate NY- how can I possibly justify a fake tree- this is where they come from! We cut ours' down every year- it's a nice family event. Love love love the smell- not the artificial pine candle scent but the real deal, pine needles and all.
I have toyed with the idea of getting a fake second tree and going completely kitsch with it- totally fake- maybe white, rotating, pre-lit, remote controlled with fiber optic lights and the flashiest possible ornaments. How fun is that?!

Crystalina replied:

A&A'smommy replied: I have a fake tree I love it... but someday I would like to get a real one when I was a child we always had a real one, we went on hay rides to pick ours, at the end we would get to see santa and have a cup of hot chocolate with a big marshmellow... good times...