To not want a Christmas tree this year

[PurpleWitch]

For the late few years we've had a real Christmas tree in a pot. It started out pretty small but grew well - and we were living in a cottage with a very small front room. This year we have moved to a new place with more space but out dear little tree has turned up its little roots and died.

We've started discussing alternatives but I am not keen. An artificial tree is out for environmental reasons - it seems that you need to keep them between 7 and 20 years to make them a better choice than real trees. Although I get the argument that using a real tree ensures that more trees are planted and that recycling them at the end of the season has positive benefits I'm just not keen on the idea of killing a tree just to stand it in the corner of the living room for a fortnight.

I'm thinking of skipping the tree altogether this year and just having Christmas decorations, preferably on a natural or rustic type of theme - with plenty of fairy lights

AIBU to consider skipping the tree this year? Also, what are your suggestions for alternatives?

I don’t know why you would think it unreasonable? It’s your house! Some people have light up reindeers in the front garden, some have nothing. It’s completely up to you!

Friends of mine used to find a big branch and hang baubles on it and it looked lovely. That could be an alternative if you wanted some kind of focal point. Otherwise do whatever you fancy - it’s your home.

Also, what are your suggestions for alternatives?

Why don't you do something with wood like the first picture? You can use it and keep it for life

www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g23516086/christmas-wood-crafts/

Or like no 16 'Reclaimed Wood Christmas Tree and Star'

Then don't have one. It's a Victorian fashion, you don't have to follow it.

Don’t have one. Or buy another one in a pot.

Fairy lights are not exactly environmentally friendly, you realise.

Decorated festive big twig?

There are companies where you can choose a tree and it comes to you in a pot with roots and then you send it back and it's replanted for the next year.

I can't remember the name sadly. Xxx

We invested in a Balsam Hill one last year … trust me, at that price, it will still be being put up in 20 years

Do you have DCs OP? If so I would get a good quality artificial tree and resell it/give it away when they are a bit older. I had to replace mine last year, it was over a decade old, but I used the branches to make a wreath.

If it's just yourselves or grown DCs definitely leave out the tree. It would just be a shame for DCs not to have a tree in thier home when all thier classmates/friends will.

Get an artificial tree second hand, no further environmental impact.

Mine that was older than a decade was only a cheap one, as PP said a good quality one will easily last you longer.

You do know Christmas trees are grown as a crop for a few years to be cut down and replaced. They are not grown to be around for decades.

Fairy lights are made from plastic, hardly environmentally friendly, also their energy usage.

Go with your rustic or natural theme - maybe gather pine cones and branches from a forest floor. Stick a large branch into a bucket with stones to steady and decorate with stars cut out from recycled cardboard or envelopes. Instead of using string or ribbon to tie the stars - use long pieces of dried grass that you will come across when out and about.

Depends who else is in the house and their views I suppose, but if you’re all in agreement then of course YANBU!

The family artificial tree at my parents house is coming up to 26 now, its
older than my sister! So to me keeping an artificial one for years is the norm and I can’t imagine why anyone would throw it out before 7 years unless it somehow fell apart.

Surely if you invested in a decent artificial tree you would be happy keeping it for a good few years.

We had a real one once, and I said never again as I can't cope the needles dropping, we then invested in a really good qaulity artificial one and 5 years later we're still happy with it and have no plans to change it anytime soon.

If you really don't want a tree though that's obviously your choice... the world won't end!

As an alternative we have a wall hanging log tree with fairy lights that we have in our hallway, I think I got it from Cox & cox but I've seen similar in lots of shops.

You don't have to have one but the artificial trees will easily last over seven years. I got a really cheap one from Argos nearly ten years ago that's still absolutely fine. I think people choose to replace them more often sometimes but you don't have to.

I had kittens so I never put my tree up. The kittens, now cats died young and I sold my tree. My current cat is 3 years old, he'll never see a Christmas tree.

It's so great not spending time hanging baubles and suchlike to be on display for a short time.

Me too it's on its 8th year and looks amazing it's just stopped shedding thankfully

Sticks in a vase?

This is ours, I've seen larger as well if you have more area to cover.

Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island palm) may be worth looking into if you have a bathroom with good light to put it for the rest of the year. I think the branches would be sturdy enough to put on a few decorations.

I do this every year! Mine is from Christmas On The Hill, but there are others. I'm getting the same one back this year as I had last year so I can see if it's grown much 😊

www.christmasonthehill.co.uk/

My 24 year old artificial tree from Woolies is still going strong.

How about a Christmas tree wall hanging or curtain?

Like this one from Next

Have seen similar in cox & cox too x