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Original poster

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

203 replies

Loafingaround · 03/11/2016 16:25

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?

OP posts:
GrinchyMcGrincherson · 03/11/2016 16:59

We had a real tree a couple of years ago. Never ever again. It was heavy, a pain to put up, a nightmare to clean up after and a huge faff to get rid of.

We have a mid priced Tesco wonder. It's absolutely fine. I don't really care what it looks like as the kids cover it in randomness.

Aeroflotgirl · 03/11/2016 17:01

You can recycle, and reuse. Ours has finer optic lights built in so looks lovely. How wasteful to keep chopping down trees.

kali110 · 03/11/2016 17:02

Pets

Allthebestnamesareused · 03/11/2016 17:02

I got a Balsam Hill one in the sale prelit so no need to struggle with lights each year. People always think its real.

WhataHexIgotinto · 03/11/2016 17:02

I paid a small fortune for my fake tree but it's beautiful, lasted years so far and will last for years more. It probably looks more real than the actual real ones we used to get.

TSSDNCOP · 03/11/2016 17:02

Symmetry

kali110 · 03/11/2016 17:03

Plus i'm yet to find a real one that flashes and changes colour Grin

ghostyslovesheets · 03/11/2016 17:03

I'm guessing all the people who think it's wasteful don't wrap presents in paper - even that made from recycled trees

lots of things about Christmas are wasteful

upthegardenpath · 03/11/2016 17:03

Dogs pissing up real trees (and fake ones).
Millepedes in trees.
Oh I love threads like these Grin
FWIW I love the scent of a real tree, but find that over the years they have become less piney - is that possible?
My tree dream is to have a real tree planted outside the house, but from where it can be seen, and decorate it out there but where no dogs can get to it to piss over

JugglingFromHereToThere · 03/11/2016 17:03

We've always had our lovely re-usable one. Tis still traditional because we add to the decorations gradually each year, both home-made and a couple of new bits from the Christmas displays - we especially have a nice collection of fairies chosen by DD and I when she was little.

My parents have a real one, although quite small these days, so I get to enjoy the Christmassy smell when we're at theirs Smile
I agree it's very evocative.
Oh, and I bought a small Christmas wreath last year and put it up in the hall, and the smell from those few sprigs filled the house!

raviolidreaming · 03/11/2016 17:05

My 5ft one is a lovely shape and colour and was from Paperchase.

StarlingMurderation · 03/11/2016 17:05

Cleaning up the needles, plus when we got real ones when I was young, they were always half dead by Christmas Day.

GarlicMist · 03/11/2016 17:06

Fake now, because I live up a flight of narrow stairs that would be an ordeal with a real tree - both alive and dead. I used to have my own tree that I planted back outside every January and dug up every December. It lasted six or seven years - I was lucky, apparently, they don't much like being moved around so.

I agree it seems a shame to kill so many trees for a festival of goodwill. But I do like them. I usually buy a few of those ten-inch tall ones (I think they're really ferns?) to go with the fake one Grin And some Christmas-flavoured candles.

harderandharder2breathe · 03/11/2016 17:07

I love the smell of real trees, but now I'm the one responsible for setting up and cleaning up I choose fake! too many memories of my mother battling with tree trunks and metal stands, together with intensive hoovering

i have a nice one with built in lights, it's easy to put up and take down.

I don't drive, a friend gave me s lift to buy it last year but I could've taken it home on the bus if I'd had to. Would be difficult and expensive to get a real tree and then to get rid off it in January; I remember trees going in our garage for months til my parents hired a skip (garage was barely big enough for even a small car so was mainly used as storage for garden stuff, bikes, and for part of the year, - dead Xmas tree!)

MrsRhubarb · 03/11/2016 17:07

There is a place near me where you can hire a real tree in a pot, so afterwards they take it back and keep growing it. I find that to be a good compromise.

When we were children my DF had a pine trunk with holes drilled in, so we used to go for a walk in the woods and just cut a few branches and stick them in the holes. You couldn't tell that it wasn't a "real" tree, but you still got the lovely smell etc

MycatsaPirate · 03/11/2016 17:07

We have two large fakes but also go to get a real one each year.

Bear with me on this. We don't pay for it and it's unwanted. Basically the pine trees which grow on the local RSPB nature reserve wreck the birds nesting sites so every December they ask people to come and pull a pine. You are equipped with saws and large clippers and gloves and asked to pull as many tiny saplings as possible and pile them up. You can then choose a tree of your choice or find one and cut it down yourself.

If people didn't go and do it, it would cost the RSPB thousands in man hours and money clearing them from the nature reserve. It's a lovely day, real community spirit, everyone tramps out from the car park and we all chat as we work. Loads of kids and they do a hog roast on site too.

pinkunicornsarefluffy · 03/11/2016 17:09

I have always had a fake one due to having cats who invariably always climb the tree. There would be needles everywhere if I had a real one. Plus it's the disposal of it after Christmas that is a hassle. Mine is also prelit which means no faffing around with lights every year.

LineyReborn · 03/11/2016 17:09

Our living room is fairly bijou fucking tiny so I fancy one if those slimline ones this year. JL can fuck off, though.

I also have a festive twig I painted myself and put lights on.

GarlicMist · 03/11/2016 17:10

When we were children my DF had a pine trunk with holes drilled in, so we used to go for a walk in the woods and just cut a few branches and stick them in the holes. You couldn't tell that it wasn't a "real" tree

That is brilliant!

milkshakeandmonstermunch · 03/11/2016 17:12

Several reasons:

  • I don't like the idea of cutting down a tree. I don't like flowers either.
  • sentimentality. DH and I bought our tree our first Christmas together 10 years ago. It's our tree.
  • pine needles are messy
  • a real tree would just be another thing to worry about/buy each year
Xmasbaby11 · 03/11/2016 17:12

We always get a real one with non drop needles. We always had one growing up and I love the smell. However I do understand why people get fake ones. Dh and i always have a fight about putting it up as we're both crap at that kind of thing. We had to buy a new tree stand last year so probably spent 65 quid altogether!

RortyCrankle · 03/11/2016 17:13

The best thing to do is buy one grown in a pot and grow it on in your garden. I totally disagree with chopping down trees just so they can have a bit of tinsel flung over them for a couple of weeks before being thrown out.

Mymouthgetsmeintrouble · 03/11/2016 17:14

The needles , cost and we have a limit on rubbish from our council and i dont drive so cant take it to the tip

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 03/11/2016 17:17

I have a fake one now because:
• I live in Australia and although Norwegian pines are sometimes available, the cost of them is outrageous (think $120 for a 3' tree). They do sell other types of "Christmas tree" but they're not the real deal, they have floppy long needles and weak branches (tried that the first year - it was actually the top of a roadside fir tree, so the tree itself didn't get killed, it just lost its top 5')
• we got a bargainous 8' one in the sales, at about 70% off its original price, which has individual branches and looks a bit more real than some of them.
• My dad has a fake one because he can't be doing with the needles, and because he doesn't want a potted one, he's nowhere to put it afterwards.

When I was in the UK, I used to buy a 3' potted tree with roots ( used to dig my own up when possible) and try to keep it alive. I only once managed to keep it til the next year, but sadly lost it after that. They're quite hard to keep alive, they need a LOT of water, and it's hard to tell when to put them back outside again!

And yes, I do agree with you OP, it is a bit sad to see all the cut ones thrown out on the rubbish afterwards.

Eolian · 03/11/2016 17:17

We've always had real ones. I find fake ones a bit naff, a bit like having a vase of plastic flowers. I love the smell and look of real ones and I don't give a monkey's about the needles - they hoover up easily enough. As for the germs and bugs thing - it is good for you to have contact with trees, plants etc! Fortunately neither my dog nor my cat show much interest in the tree. I was glad to read the link upthread about plastic ones not really being more environmentally friendly, and will seek out somewhere that recycles them this year too.