To ask those who have artificial Christmas Trees...why?

[Loafingaround]

our last house was far too small, so couldn't fit a christmas tree in there. Having moved into a house large enough to house a christmas tree ,we are finally getting a christmas tree this year. Ive grown up with my grandparents and parents both having real trees, which I know and smell utterly magical and festive, but the thought that these beautiful trees have grown (for approx 8-10 years for a 8" tree!) only to be used and worshiped for a few weeks- then turfed out half dying onto the pavement forgotten about- is also so so depressing and sad to me. It sums up so much wrong with the world in general... I just cant bring myself to buy a "real"tree so will be going artificial. Why do other people go fake? Can you recommend the best, real looking artificial trees and where you bought them?

Don't feel too sad. Near us they are recycled at our local nature reserve and used to line the paths etc. so they're not just dumped and forgotten about they make the ground nice for plants and animals etc.

Having said that we don't have a real one because I don't like the needles dropping and getting in the carpet and I don't have to buy another each year.

I think my mum successfully planted one of her Christmas trees in the garden!

I'm with you on the sad feelings for trees bought only to be chopped down. That's one reason why we have artificial, also the cats chew the tree and real needles can do real damage, also the mess is too much to deal with.

I love a real Christmas tree but can't justify putting around £60 out for recycling every year.

Ours is a Tesco 6ft one, £20 and looks great for the price. That will last us years, as £25+ every year for something that drops needles everywhere then gets chucked out isn't something we can afford/justify.

I wouldn't feel too sad though, I don't think real ones just go to landfill when they're done.

• cheaper overall
• less of a fire hazard
• safer with electric lights
• we can put it up unreasonably early and not worry about it drying out

We never had a real Christmas tree as a kid and do not feel in any way deprived. As a nanny the families had real trees and I used to quite like the 'bigness' of them, but seeing the masses of needles shed and the hassle of disposing of afterward put me off a real one in my own house. I do agree that there is something sad about the waste, but that is true of most things during christmas!
I bought a new fake tree to fit better in our small living room 2 years ago and got a slimline one w with fake snow from wilkinsons for £30 - it looks quite realistic and pretty once it's lit up with lights.

Artificial trees are really realistic these days, not like the green loo brushes they used to be.

I've got a lovely pine scented, cinamonny (not a word) spray that I squirt the tree with. Smells great.

Agree with Soozey, expense, mess and faff.

Less mess, less worry around the pets, and I grew up with plastic so the smell brings back memories!

We have an artificial tree as I can't bear the thought of cutting down a beautiful tree just so it can spend 2 weeks in my living room then be chucked away! Also don't like the mess or the cost of a real tree ( the cat likes to play with the decorations and we have really high ceilings in our house so a little tree looks silly).

We have a 7 foot John Lewis snowy twig tree and it looks lovely although not at all traditional!

FYI, for those who insist that it's much more environmentally friendly to have a fake tree:

In the most definitive study of the perennial real vs. fake question, an environmental consulting firm in Montreal found that an artificial tree would have to be reused for more than 20 years to be greener than buying a fresh-cut tree annually. The calculations included greenhouse gas emissions, use of resources and human health impacts.

www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/business/energy-environment/18tree.html

Fake tree because of the faff of needles, taking it to the waste collection point miles away, and it being half dead by the time Christmas arrives, but loaded up with young living essential oil so it smells real

We had one when we lived in the country, it was lovely and easy to dispose of, plant after xmas. it smelt lovely and we placed it in an area that wasn't carpeted, so it was easy to clean up.

When we moved to a town it was too much faff, we had carpets and I didn't fancy finding needles months afterwards.
Not very good if you have small dc crawling about either.
I love my 2 falsies we have really high ceilings so both are 8ft tall

I grew up overseas and we always had a fake one - it became part of Christmas to extract the tree from storage, with all its fake gaudy trimmings. These days I still prefer it because they're cheaper and the idea of killing a live tree makes me sad.

We have four cats and three dogs. It would never work for us having a real tree!

I have 4 fake trees - 1 in the study and one in each child's room - these are festive and tinselly and all and the kids can decorate the fuck out of them

In the living room window I have a real tree - it is mine and I decorate it - we always had a real one growing up and I love the smell

the cats do climb it though

after Christmas it is recycled by a lovely service that chops it all up for you in return for a donation to our local hospice

I love a real tree

I don't think it's sad or depressing (many more things in life that are!) most trees are recycled now (in my area anyway) sooooooo get yourself to John Lewis and invest in a good one which will last years then buy a real, pine wreath or something for the smell X

We get a real one because it is good for the environment and more eco friendly. Yes they get thrown away after a few weeks, but they support the agriculture business in this country, usually grown on farm land that isn't suitable for growing any other produce. You are usually supporting local business when buying a real one, as opposed to Argos, B&Q etc. Real trees are recycled, old plastic ones can't be. Real trees provide green belt land and a source of Oxygen while growing etc. I worried about all this years ago but did some research and realised real was the best way to go for both my conscience and the way they look.

Because I have a fear of bugs and germs and read that you bring thousands of them into your home on a real tree.

My 'fake' tree is pre lot and I hang scented things on it so it smells like a real tree.

Because the cats don't climb or scratch it.

raspberry just can't understand that argument, its the same many meat eaters use for say eating lamb, if they didn't eat the lamb, it never would've existed. Im sure given the choice, any living being would prefer not to exist, than be bred purely to be slaughtered soon after birth, separated from its mother who is still feeding it and spends the rest of hers days mourning and pining for the child taken from her a few months after its brith!

Also, we've had the same fake tree since at least 1998 so if it lasts another 2 years then it'll be green and I won't have had to fork out £1000 on real trees over that time period!

That's interesting, Margaret. I've had my fake tree for 11 years now so I'm only half way to being greener than buying a real one!

My reasons for having artificial are not really because of environmental concerns though to be honest.

Scatty we are talking about trees

I can't think of a good reason to buy a real tree rather than a reusable fake. Growing trees which are just going to be chopped down and then need to be disposed of after a couple of weeks is barmy. Stupid waste of council tax. They shed needles. They cost more over a few years. Getting out 'the tree' is part of the xmas tradition in our house.

when I was growing up, DF got a rooted one and replanted/dug up for a couple of years, but it was misshapen and a bit sickly after the first year.
Nice idea in theory, not so much in practice.

We bought a nice one from the garden centre (which of course becomes an xmas shop) when DD was 3 and it shows no sign of wear and tear.

One year, the dog twice left a 'present' under it, goodness knows what he'd have done with a real one.

Honestly? Unless they're 8foot massive bushy ones I think real look a bit shit.

Now my white pound stretcher special one that was purchased as a one year only tree but is now on its 10th year? Could never be described as shit!