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

[CatsWhiskers1976]

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?

Grew up middle class with a real tree

Bought into the rubbish and continued with that

Promptly realised how utterly ridiculous it was , and decided that anyone who judged me for having an artificial tree was not someone I gave a flying wotsit about.

Bought artificial tree due to practicality and that when fortunes waxed and waned the DC would never miss out on a Christmas tree if things were tight (there has been a few close to the bone years since divorcing ).

Retrieved tree from loft and considered may have made mistake this year as base bounced out and fell on dp's head

Dp now consistently glaring at offending artificial tree (not due to snobbery but because hes concerned it has it in for him).

It's a load of codswallop, DP mum based always been as poor as a church mouse and the definition of working class in an old mining town in Wales.....has always had a real tree.

@winniestone37

We had real tress growing up - we were dirt poor for a bit. I love the smell be have them now. Maybe there is a class element but that doesn’t mean there a status symbol - that’s a silly thing to say. The fact that you think that kind of reveals more about you than anyone else.

Let me get things straight here. I DID not say I thought it was a status symbol. I ASKED if others thought it was! You're as bad as the Daily Fail in putting words into my mouth! And I NEVER mentioned 'middle class' at ALL in my opening post to people who started talking about that either! So you can take your catty comment and shove it.

MrsPumpkinPie our tree this year was “wrapped” in a plastic-free, eco alternative. Brown twine. Worked brilliantly, no —DH— children getting fingers twisted and tangled in the plastic netting, and far better for the environment and wildlife.

I don’t know how they are when they are transported to the shop, but they are all open to see and pick from. They only wrap the tree once you pay.

This was the wrapped tree.

[quote FromABook]@CounsellorTroi I was about to ask for tips! We have a living tree in a pot (it's about 3ft tall now), that is in its 2nd year with us, and we just dragged it back into the house. I thought you meant you'd kept one going for 30 years! That would've been impressive indeed![/quote]
We bought an 18" high tree in 1998. We brought it inside every year for no more than 2 weeks and kept it in a cooler area, to stop it getting spruce aphid (and losing all its leaves - which happened once but it recovered). It grew a few inches a year in the pot, getting repotted every few years. After the first 5 or 6 years we kept it outside and decorated it there. Eventually it was in a large handled plastic tree pot and hard to move, growing potbound and very heavy, so we found it a semi-permanent place. It then rooted into the ground through the holes in the pot (!) and started putting on about a foot a year. It's now as tall as the roof... but we still decorate it! So I can't account for 30 years, will 22 do?

Somewhere along the way we bought another one. It's now up to 6' and getting a bit hard for one person to move... but I have a lovely view from the kitchen window!

For me it has to be artificial. Would never have a real one. I don't like them and they make a lot of mess (so I've been told).

Had a real tree once, because garden centre gave them away on Christmas eve, haha it was beautiful and smelled divine but expensive (if I'd paid) artificial ones are ok if you keep for years, really we should give up the traditional if we want to be environmental. I don't want to give up my tree so I will be good some other way. I don't fly, I don't eat meat, reusable bags and give all my old stuff to charity. I saved for this one, it's very life like and I hope to never buy another. My vote goes to whatever makes you happy. Just be good somewhere else