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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:
Thread gallery
7
Onedropbeat · 08/12/2020 20:02

Based on the monstrosity’s shown on the balsam hill thread I couldn’t ever go for an artificial one

They look dreadful and certainly not worth the money

Janegrey333 · 08/12/2020 20:12

@Lucyk1

Really trees are super cheap. Ikea do a deal, pay 29.00 and get a voucher to spend back for 20.00...only costs 9.00 then. Most real trees I've ever seen are under 20.00. So I don't know why folk would think they are better 😂. We are very financially comfortable... And never choose a real tree. Don't like to keep watering the base, the pines fall off, you need to buy the tree mid Dec otherwise it looks awful if bought too early... Yep, they are better for the environment.... But it's the convenience of a fake tree I like.
Most real trees I've ever seen are under 20.00. So I don't know why folk would think they are better 😂.

It’s not about cost, obviously. It’s about the idea of one tree being genuine and natural and consequently beautiful. The other is just pretending to be a tree.

Janegrey333 · 08/12/2020 20:17

@Lily193

That sounds like tacky overkill. How ghastly.

What a jealous, nasty comment. How bitter you sound. Only on this forum could people get so obsessed over so called 'symbols' of class.

Smile
SoftSheen · 08/12/2020 20:19

We always had a real tree growing up. MC, but not well off, background.

Now, we have a real tree that spends most of the year growing in a pot in the garden, coming inside a week before Christmas. DH originally bought it for £25, from Tesco!

This will be the tree's 10th Christmas, and though it was originally quite small, it is now around 6 feet tall. Eventually it will grow too big and we will need to find somewhere to plant it in the ground and let it live out its retirement.

threatmatrix · 08/12/2020 20:22

I suppose I’m middle class, always had a real tree mainly because I loved the smell, but now I have a really expensive fake one as the real tree just didn’t hold anything heavier than a feather. Love them both.

Janegrey333 · 08/12/2020 20:22

@SoftSheen

We always had a real tree growing up. MC, but not well off, background.

Now, we have a real tree that spends most of the year growing in a pot in the garden, coming inside a week before Christmas. DH originally bought it for £25, from Tesco!

This will be the tree's 10th Christmas, and though it was originally quite small, it is now around 6 feet tall. Eventually it will grow too big and we will need to find somewhere to plant it in the ground and let it live out its retirement.

and let it live out its retirement.

Awwww. What a nice idea!

Imnotahugger · 08/12/2020 20:23

Me; Middle class, artificial tree. Best friend; working class, always has a real tree. Surely it's personal preference? Well, it is for me anyway. Growing up we never had a real tree either and my parents were extremely well to do. They even used to get a company in to do the decorations throughout the whole house 😳

CordeliaCroft · 08/12/2020 20:26

Real tree here but thinking of getting an artificial one as less needles to hoover up. Never thought about this as a class issue😂

godmum56 · 08/12/2020 20:35

me either!

Violinist64 · 08/12/2020 20:39

I am allergic to Christmas trees so it is artificial here. We have a six foot tree in the conservatory. I would have been happy to recycle it to a charity shop but the family vetoed it. I have a 3 foot Christmas tree on a small cabinet in the living room and this is enough for me now. The children are grown up and Christmas has obviously changed too. In any case, as a Christian l think the Nativity set is the most important decoration as it represents the real reason for Christmas.

Hoppyhops · 08/12/2020 20:41

Working class. I had a moment of pure insanity this year and spend £500 on a tree from Balsam Hill. It’s prelit and absolutely gorgeous but still... it’s insane. I do realise this. I can’t see us throwing it away for decades though, provided we look after it. Oh God, I feel sinful just writing this- I haven’t told anybody how much it cost. Blush

Frazzled2207 · 08/12/2020 20:41

urgh this thread has found its way onto the daily fail

Sootybear · 08/12/2020 20:56

I've had all sorts, fake trees, real cut trees, potted trees, just depends what I feel like. My middle class grandparents always had a tiny fake one with lights and decorations on a table in their living room. As a child we had a mixture too. I'm dusting off my fake one this year which is about 20 years old as it'll save me buying a real one this year. It all depends on available funds really. I do think it's a bit middle class to always have a real one though, tastefully decorated. I love a bit of Christmas tat and homemade decorations .

EverybodystalkingaboutJamie · 08/12/2020 21:02

I am proud to say I have no idea whether my friends and family have a real tree of an artificial tree...I don't go over to inspect it or judge for its class. Decorated trees are a refined thing - whether you take a real one, cut it down and cover it with fairy lights and gaudy baubles - it's hardly a big step away from a fake tree you pull out every year...If it gives you a sense of self worth when you don't have any...maybe that's something.

Celestine70 · 08/12/2020 21:10

I have a really nice artificial tree but some years I get a real one.

Dee1975 · 08/12/2020 21:19

Ummm unsure if it’s a class thing. But real ones do look better I think. Maybe it’s a class thing because you have to spend x ££ every year on one, rather than a one off amount.
However, I don’t have a real one. Never have. I don’t want pine needles over my carpet or the hassle of taking it to the dump and then getting pine needles all over my car!
I do have a pretty convincing fake one though ...!

Ihavepixies · 08/12/2020 21:21

I have an artificial 8ft tall christmas tree that was passed to me from my grandmother many years ago (who was probably working class by background) she detested mess and thought artificial trees were cleaner. I keep this tree in my entrance hall as it is much better for the environment than going out and cutting down a perfectly shaped 8ft christmas tree to best display my pretty bauble collection every year although I could I suppose, I'd rather not as this seems like it would be pointless showing off. As it is in the hall it is themed with matching glass baubles each year, usually purchased from John Lewis or hand made from an individual seller because I love the details and quality and I will often buy a few to add to my theme boxes each year if they appeal to me and fit what I have in mind. I also have another christmas tree, a real one, in the sitting room that lives in a pot in the garden and gets pruned and wheeled in every year on a trolly (as it is now enormous) and this may one day replace granny's tree. This is the children's tree and they decorate it how they like with an array of fun baubles procured from all sorts of places and I let them choose what to put on. We only have white lights as dh dislikes the colourful ones although I might let the children have them for a rainbow theme they are begging for next year and tinsel seems a bit naff to me. I don't think that an artificial tree is working class anymore although may have started out being prefered by the working class, I think it is now seen as fairly green and it is convenient. I would suppose I was middle class.

Theflying19 · 08/12/2020 21:24

6 foot tall artificial tree 22 years old and still going strong. Don't envisage needing to replace it until we start to thing about downsizing in about 20 years. Getting it out the loft and assembling it signals the beginning of Christmas in our house, lights, decs, magic. I think there is a lot of snob factor around trees, but each to their own.

Aworldofmyown · 08/12/2020 21:24

Love my fake tree! I've had two of them in the past twenty odd years.
I can't deal with a non symmetrical tree so could never have a real one Grin

browneyes77 · 08/12/2020 21:26

I’ve had my 6ft artificial Christmas tree that I bought from Woolworths in 1997 for £9.99, for 23 years now and it’s still going strong.

Never been arsed about getting a real tree to be honest. Aways felt it was just too much hassle and yearly expense. And I’ve always been complemented on my fake tree, so I’m happy with my imposter Grin

MrsPumpkinPie · 08/12/2020 21:27

It's not the real trees that are an environmental problem, it's the plastic netting that they all come in that is truly horrifying. It doesn't seem to be anything that anyone discusses or even thinks about. Hundreds of thousands of bits of completely non-recyclable plastic netting going into landfill every single year! I watch people asking to see multiple trees to find the perfect one (all those bits of plastic netting thrown away) and then when the 'chosen one' is found, putting that through the sodding plastic netting machine. I honestly can't believe my eyes! For the record, we have a medium sized real tree that sits in a pot at the end of the garden and then bring it in each year. We've had it for 6 years now.

emilybrontescorsett · 08/12/2020 21:30

Catholickidston that article made me laugh. When I drive home from work I pass a house with a bush outside. They have covered the Bush in red lights and surrounded it with blue light up deers. I can't decide whether it's tacky or the height of perfection, either way it always makes me smile.

Ponoka7 · 08/12/2020 21:31

I have a real one in my living room. A artificial one in my dining area. A twig one in my bedroom and a very tasteful wooden/scandi one in my bathroom. I'm very working class, as demonstrated by the overkill.