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Original poster

Trees: real or artificial?

29 replies

northerner · 04/12/2006 15:49

Had a real one last year for the first time, think we got a duff one and it cost an arm and a leg. It looked half dead by christmas and it dropped needles everywhere. Dh wants artificial this year, anyone seen any good ones?

Thanks

OP posts:
sweetheart · 04/12/2006 15:55

NOOOOOOOO

You have to have a real xmas tree! It's not xmas otherwise!

PinkTinsel · 04/12/2006 15:56

REAL!!!!! you can't beat the smell of a real tree!

needs to have lots of water and be in a cool place or it'll die, not a duff tree you just need to treat it right

noddyholder · 04/12/2006 15:58

Real!We bought a real tree last yuear too early as ds had an accident at school adn we were trying to cheer him up but it had died by mid december so we bought a fake cheap one and it was awful Never ever again

TinsellyRhino · 04/12/2006 15:59

definitely realm there are lovely, the smell is gorgeous and the trip to go and get one cut is lovely

MrsBadger · 04/12/2006 16:01

we buy one in a pot with a root ball water it well and frequently - lasts well into Jan.

Cut trees are like cut flowers - you can't just prop them up and expect them to live. They need about a pint of water a day, more if by a radiator - and don't bring it indoors till about the 10th.

xmasmummy · 04/12/2006 16:04

i would love to have a real one but have a toddler and mobile baby so cant, have huge fake one and that will be bad enough. if i had a real one my lo would be forever eating needles

expatinscotland · 04/12/2006 16:06

Artificial. Works great w/cats, no worrying about baby picking up dried out needles, no mess - we have carpets b/c this is a rental flat, lasts ages.

Cheaper, too, in the long run.

ComeOyefaithfulVeneer · 04/12/2006 16:08

We have a fabulous artificial one that is extremely ealistic. It cost a fortune but if you calculate the cost of a real one each year it isn't too bad. We had areal one last year and with a small child a baby and 2 cats I spent half the xmas holiday sweeping up pine needles. Then there is the hassle of disposing of them.

paulaplumpbottom · 04/12/2006 16:08

I love a real tree and won't have anything else even if I am still stepping on dried needles in July. Ouch!

GodRestYeMerryNORTHERNERs · 04/12/2006 16:10

Ah, you see we have a kitten now, so maybe artificial for this year.

Stargazer · 04/12/2006 16:11

Well, we've just bought two artifical ones An 8 foot monster for the lounge and a 6 foot one for the hall - both look lovely with lights, baubles and tinsel - I love Christmas . We've always had real before, but it's easier in the long run to have fake.

It was always a complete nightmare to get rid of the tree in January.

MadamePlatypus · 04/12/2006 16:15

artificial. One day we will have a bigger house that will fit a proper tree and we will have children who will appreciate the way the tree looks rather than play with the decorations/ingest the needles. Untilthat day comes our tree costs 3.99 from Tesco's and is small enough to sit on top of the side board.

joelallie · 04/12/2006 16:19

We always have a real one. Never had a problem with babies/toddler/kittens TBH. As for eating the needles - the Moomins eat them to keep them warm throughout the winter so might save on heating

It needs to be very very fresh when you get it and kept outside as long as possible - and have it's stump in water.

mears · 04/12/2006 16:22

Definitely REAL. Did you water it northener?

yorkshireWenceslass · 04/12/2006 16:34

Northerner pop down & see ours, it's lovely and thick and a decent size, only £10 in Homebase.

domesticslobess · 04/12/2006 16:48

Ooh real -the smell is lovely but agree they can be pricey. One tip to ensure longevity is to saw an inch off the trunk-to enable the water to draw in the water and agree with other posts- trunk must be in water which you top up regulary.

mumtwogirls · 04/12/2006 17:18

Real for us. Love the smell and all that goes with it. Sadly this year we may not have a home and possibly staying with inlaws and theirs is a 30 year old fake one!

Pitchounette · 04/12/2006 17:24

Message withdrawn

PortAndLemonaid · 04/12/2006 17:31

We have a real one in a pot that we can wheel in for a few days at Christmas then wheel out again. It had a close call the first year as we didn't pot it on early enough, but has pulled through and a few years on is looking quite sprightly.

suedonim · 04/12/2006 17:40

Real. I get a Nordman or Lodgepole pine which doesn't drop needles. Costs about £10.

bobsmum · 04/12/2006 17:44

A real one!

We get ours from the local christmas tree farm. They usually give out mince pies and mulled wine too and free potted Christmas tree too!

We live on Forestry Commission land though so it's pretty tempting to just hack down one from beyond the back garden

LunarSeasonsGreetings · 04/12/2006 19:04

Real - we'll go and cut it ourselves at the Christmas tree farm, so we know it hasn't been hanging around for ages drying out.

amynnixmum · 04/12/2006 19:06

This will be the first year we have had a real one since the children were born. Ds will prbably still eat the needles but I reckon now he's 6 he can cope

oxocube · 04/12/2006 19:14

Got to be real. Love the smell, the feel etc etc

Waswondering · 04/12/2006 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.