To ask what is the earliest date you can buy a real Christmas tree and expect the needles to stay on the tree till after new year?

[honeytea]

Me and my DP are in disagreement over when we should/could buy our christmas tree.

We will buy a real one with anti drop needles but in my experience the needles still drop.

I want to put the tree up next weekend DP wants to put the tree up on Christmas eve (the 23rd in the country we live.)

The reason he wants to put the tree up on Christmas eve is that it is the tradition in the country where we live. The reason I want to put the tree up next weekend is that PFB is due to be born on the 8th and I have fantasies of early labour infrount of the tree with the lovely twinkly lights.

Any advice as to the earliest you can buy a real tree and expect it to look half decent by Christmas? Also AIBU to ignore DP's tree wishes? (I will need him to drive to the shop to buy the tree so I need to persude him... maybe I will tell him I will go on the bus with my 9 month bump and carry it home)

I've had a Nordman since 1995. Well every year! They don't drop needles at all, just droop a bit after 3 weeks in a hot living room.
DS1 was due on 22nd December so I was expecting a Christmas baby but he arrived in January.
I always get the tree the first weekend in December so I can clear away Christmas before his birthday.
A five/six foot one was about £50 last year. I did try suggesting an artificial tree but you'd have thought I was cancelling Christmas. He may be nearly 17 but he loves the ritual of buying the tree.

I will see if I can find a nordman, they sound good! I'm glad your DS loves the tree so much, I hope our baby will grow to love getting the tree too :) I think in future years we will wait to after his birthday to put the tree up so he had better not be born on the 23rd! (the latest they will induce me is the 22nd)

Oh god I hope there is no singing, it is my first Christmas here, they love to sing at all occasions. I must start learning the songs if I am expected to sing!

Of course there'll be singing. There's no escape. If the Göteborg lot are anything to go by you'll need to master:

We used to get a tree on Christmas Eve and decorate it when I was little and living in Germany. Have had to find a compromise in the UK because there aren't any decent trees left at such a late stage, so I tend to get one around mid December. Also need to get a blue spruce or similar with wide sturdy branches because we have real candles on the tree. I'm lucky to get a small one for 30 quid but more like 40 . It doesn't have to be a tall tree though because my girls are only 2 and 5 and anything decorated with real candles etc looks incredible for them
Aww, feeling all festive now.
OP very best of luck with your new baby. What a fantastic Christmas cuddling a newborn!

I'd rather have no tree than a fake one.

We usually spend about £70 on a non drop tree; it goes up about a week before. We take it down on 2nd of jan and it always looks perky still.

This year though, we're having a party on the 8th, so tree will be going up that day. God knows how it will look by Christmas.

I find that I get all the bargain trees with waiting so late. I have a potted 5ft Norway Spruce that was bought for 3 quid a few years ago, the year before last Homebase were giving away 6ft Nordman Fir trees from the 22nd onwards. I got 5! (only kept 2 for myself)

We got our non-drop last year the first weekend in dec, it dropped a few needles but not a lot and was still looking good on jan 6th. We do have a stand that we could water the tree in though and kept that topped up.

Spoons I could imagine you with 5 trees in the living room like a christmassy forrest!

Water seems to be the trick, we will invest in a snazzy tree stand this year.

Thank you babygiraffes, I really can't wait to meet our little son, I hope he comes in early December rather than too close to Christmas, mostly so he doesn't have his birthday so close to Christmas.

Thanks for the links flaminnora! I will start practising! :)

We bought ours on the 26th November last year and took it down on 15th January. It didn't drop at all.

akiss that must be a real tree record! :)

It all sounds a bit ££. Eek. We had a nasty, crappy artificial one for years (rented house) but chucked it out last year. Half the branches had fallen off and I secretly hated it. I've dreamt of a real tree for years. I like to have the tree up by mid December but wonder if I wait a bit if I can get something a bit cheaper. Or get a pot plant instead...

Ours was only £30 from B&Q and it lasted very well