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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Real tree Vs artificial tree? Is it a status symbol?

607 replies

CatsWhiskers1976 · 07/12/2020 11:26

Just putting up our artificial tree and having some thoughts.
At work the other day we got to discussing Christmas trees, and the old real vs artificial debate. It seemed to me that there was a bit of 'snobbery' against those who had artificial trees (maybe that's just where I work!). There were those who said artificial trees were just TERRIBLE for the environment. Given that most people I know have had their tree for many years (our family one was about 40 years old before it was replaced) is this really true? Cutting down live trees is okay for the environment? I have never had a real tree, growing up I didn't know anyone who had a real tree and in our circles it was usually only the slightly more well off people who ever had real trees. Apologies if this offends anyone, it was just my experience as a child growing up in working class Scotland.
Some people at work looked horrified at the thought of having a 'plastic' tree (mind, they were going off to cut the perfect one down on their 'estate').
So what do you think? Real Vs artificial? I spent a fair bit a few years ago to get a really nice realistic looking artificial tree which I hope will last years. At the time we had cats and I was afraid they would get hurt/never leave the real tree alone so I have stuck with artificial.
What does everyone else have? Do you judge people with fake trees?

OP posts:
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7
flaviaritt · 08/12/2020 09:03

If you have time to judge other people for their choice of Christmas tree, you should get a hobby.

Obviously there is a class component to this. If you are a MC family, you’re more likely to drive, and more likely to have a car big enough to fit a tree in. If you’re working class, you are more likely to live in an area that doesn’t sell real trees in markets or tree farms etc.

But really, who cares?

formerbabe · 08/12/2020 09:13

If you have time to judge other people for their choice of Christmas tree, you should get a hobby

It's not necessarily judging..it's observing isn't it?

StatisticallyChallenged · 08/12/2020 09:16

@formerbabe

If you have time to judge other people for their choice of Christmas tree, you should get a hobby

It's not necessarily judging..it's observing isn't it?

Some of the comments on this thread are very definitely judging.
Springersrock · 08/12/2020 09:18

@24hrpantypeople

Forgot to say absolutely no judgment or snobbery re real or fake but I do think it's absolute fucking madness to spend hundreds of pounds on a tree. Those Balsam Hill ones are about 1k!
Our artificial tree was £250 in a sale 15 years ago - £16 a year so far and it still looks as good as it did the day we bought it.

I love real trees, but unfortunately they make me really unwell so artificial it is

Mumtumwobble · 08/12/2020 09:18

We have 2 trees. Traditionally, one artificial and one real. However we’ve gone for 2 artificial this year. I can’t be bothered with the faff of real tree so got a really good second artificial one. We’re middle class if it makes any difference. Maybe having 2 trees is common? Who knows? I don’t care anyway. I love our trees.

CherryPavlova · 08/12/2020 09:36

Real trees. It used to be ones brought home at the end of the school Christmas term, so was nearly bald before we got it.
Now we get given one from a nearby estate. Coats nothing, gets replanted.

Decorations are horrendous. Beautifully tacky. Every possible colour and shape. Made by children, given as gifts, collected from special places on holidays or outings. Nothing tasteful at all as it used to come including the tinsel (about all that was left on the tree) and children did decorating since. Only non flashing though; anything else would be common.

Draineddraineddrained · 08/12/2020 09:41

We get a real tree because I just prefer them: look, feel, smell. Also because it's fun to choose one at the farm and have a day out.

We don't waste it though - strip the branches and use them to mulch the allotment, then dry out the trunk for the following year and bung it in the wood-burner next Christmas!

I am aware that is probably peak Mumsnet 🤭

notdaddycool · 08/12/2020 09:48

I think artificial ones were seen as a bit naff, but I think things have changed over the last decade or so. A couple of years back I was adamant I wasn't having a plastic tree, but we've talked about getting one in the sales after Christmas this year. If we don't do it this year I think it will happen. It means it can stay up longer and no mess. Although I think plantations of Christmas trees are probably good for carbon capture. Even if it's burnt, worst case scenario it's been doing that about 8 years for a 6 footer.

Draineddraineddrained · 08/12/2020 09:50

And re the tinsel contention - tinsel in our house goes up the banister, around the picture frames and round the lamps but not on the tree, just because it's so difficult to get it to sit nicely and not look saggy and naff (especially with 3yo molesting the arrangements on an hourly basis 😆).

Sparklingbrook · 08/12/2020 09:51

It's quite interesting that a lot of the 'real tree as it looks better' people are also quite happy to chuck any old mish mash of ornaments on. Grin Grin

CounsellorTroi · 08/12/2020 09:53

When I was a child we had a little green and silver tree in a red plastic pot. 3 or 4 feet. We loved that tree, I don’t ever remember wondering why we didn’t have a bigger one (we did have the space) or a real one.

flaviaritt · 08/12/2020 10:21

It's not necessarily judging..it's observing isn't it?

Observing with a value judgement is judging. “Artificial trees are hideous and tacky” etc.

Just let people have their Christmas trees - why the need to comment? I mean, it’s fine (people can say what they like) but I can think it’s a bit pathetic.

Whattheactual20201 · 08/12/2020 10:49

We have 2 artificial trees and 1 real trees
🤷‍♀️ I have never understood where I fit in the class situation so no help there 🤣

Whattheactual20201 · 08/12/2020 10:50

2 real trees that was meant to say !

VestaTilley · 08/12/2020 10:51

It’s not a status symbol. I think it’s more a cultural thing than a class thing.

Meatshake · 08/12/2020 11:03

Real tree and mishmash ornaments here. Love going to pick one out and we always buy a "special" ornament every year at the same time.

I'm obviously a Mumsnet variety basic bitch. Don't really care about anyone else's tree though.

Skyshale · 08/12/2020 11:06

I have a real tree. I can assure you I am not middle class, not posh, not snobby in any sense of the word.
We just prefer a real tree.

Level75 · 08/12/2020 11:18

I can't understand at all the appeal of fake trees. I would never have one in my house. It's just so weird and, well, fake. It's not a Christmas tree.

cakewench · 08/12/2020 11:21

Middle class, always had a real tree growing up.

However, I've married a man with every allergy under the sun, and it's just not worth listening to more sniffling than usual this time of year.

I'm also deeply lazy and while I don't leave a tree up any longer than anyone else I know, I always disliked the upkeep of a real tree.

The one I have is quite nice, Balsam Hill (or whatever the name is. Balsen?) and has lasted years. I can't see myself needing to get rid of it as I'm not the sort to update decorations every other year.

I'd definitely say it's a class issue in the UK, though. I'm the only person I know with an artificial tree!

VinylDetective · 08/12/2020 11:22

@Level75

I can't understand at all the appeal of fake trees. I would never have one in my house. It's just so weird and, well, fake. It's not a Christmas tree.
Let me explain.

No needles
No constant hoovering
No messing the car up collecting it and then taking it to be chipped
No having to water it all the time
No slightly rancid smell as it slowly dies

Good quality modern fake trees look better than the real thing.

Sparklingbrook · 08/12/2020 11:24

Lol at artificial trees (although they seem to have be renamed 'fake' trees for extra snobbery) not being Christmas trees. This thread is hilarious.

TheKeatingFive · 08/12/2020 11:32

I can't understand at all the appeal of fake trees. I would never have one in my house. It's just so weird and, well, fake.

I agree.

And I’ve never understood the big deal around hoovering up a few pine needles. It’s hardly the chore of the century.

TheKeatingFive · 08/12/2020 11:33

Good quality modern fake trees look better than the real thing.

What do you mean by ‘looking better’? They look like a plastic tree. If that’s not what you want, it’s not what you want.

VinylDetective · 08/12/2020 11:37

@TheKeatingFive

Good quality modern fake trees look better than the real thing.

What do you mean by ‘looking better’? They look like a plastic tree. If that’s not what you want, it’s not what you want.

They don’t, the cheap and nasty ones do.
TheKeatingFive · 08/12/2020 11:39

They don’t, the cheap and nasty ones do.

A real tree will always be better at looking like a real tree than a plastic copy. And that’s before we get into the sensorial adjective.