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Original poster

Real or fake tree this Christmas?

70 replies

Ditsyprint40 · 25/10/2016 13:12

We've had a fake one for the last few years, and I really want a real tree this Christmas but am coming up against opposition!

What are your preferences?

OP posts:
SailingThroughTime · 25/10/2016 22:43

Real. Never had a fake one.

sonlypuppyfat · 28/10/2016 04:38

We always had real but I found the price of trees was jumping up year by year so one year we bought fake and it's still looking good and it's saved me a fortune

MrsTerryPratchett · 28/10/2016 04:47

Always real. DH had fake when I met him and it was a fight but we have real every year. In Canada, land of firs, you can chose from a variety of colours, smells, needles, shapes. And they have the delightful 'Charlie Brown' trees that are misshapen and cheap.

Anything but my exMILs fake, pink, awful monstrosity. No skin on the overcooked turkey, either

OvOntToSuckYourBlood · 28/10/2016 04:59

I've never has a real tree. Not in my 36 years of Christmases.

I don't actually fancy it that much - they sound messy. I'm not bothered by mess but my DH is and I can't stand the the thought of his moaning about it for the whole month of December! Xmas Grin

FormerlyCatherineDeB · 28/10/2016 06:34

Used to be real until I came across balsalm hill.

I spent a lot of time looking for a fake tree that would fit the bill and BH is definitely it. We put our tree up the first weekend in December because we are usually away a lot/sometimes away for Christmas and I got fed up of the tree being half dead.

Then of course there was always the annual mistake of buying a too big tree or a misshapen tree.

The tree coming out is an event here with sausage rolls/festive food, Christmas music/film, etc., etc.. Just as much of an event as buying the tree was.

The BH tree was expensive but six years on has more than paid for itself.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 28/10/2016 06:50

Real always here. We go to a local farm where you choose your tree and they cut it for you so no issues with shape, we get a Nordmann so virtually no needle drop, no problems with sap either, we have a sturdy container which you fill with water, and we've never had any problems with kids or cats.

bottleofredplease · 28/10/2016 06:56

Always real. Cut it down ourselves. We all go as a family and spend ages choosing a tree. Kids running through the trees.

MothersGrim · 28/10/2016 09:10

How long do they last? I want mine to last 4 weeks...

bottleofredplease · 28/10/2016 09:32

We usually get ours first weekend in December, it comes down after new year so about 4 weeks. Some types last longer than others, we put the trunk in water keeps longer that way.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 28/10/2016 09:34

We usually get ours the first weekend of December (5th last year, might push it back to 20th this year) and it stays up till 12th Night no problem. Keeping it watered is the main thing.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 28/10/2016 09:35

I meant 10th not 20th, phone fingers.

OdinsLoveChild · 28/10/2016 09:45

We had fake for 20 years but it went mouldy so had to be thrown away. When we went to replace it I was shocked at the price (hundreds of £ for the same style) so we looked at real trees for the first time.

We looked at lots of different varieties fir, pine, spruce and measured them. Picked the exact one we liked and carried it off to be wrapped. While it's being wrapped and labelled you can go and drink hot chocolate or mulled wine, visit Father Christmas with the children, listen to Carols, buy new decorations etc It's a really lovely experience with the children. They also deliver if it's from the forestry commission.

The trees have instructions on them on how to care for them and you do need to sweep the floor more often but the whole experience is lovely. After Christmas our council collects the real Christmas trees from your front door and turns them into mulch for the town parks.

They smell lovely and look beautiful. I loved my fake tree but having had a real one for the last 6 or 7 years I wouldn't have a fake one again.

MrsLindor · 28/10/2016 11:03

We had a real tree last year, the first year since exH left because he would never agree to a real one.

I think we'll probably get a nice fake one this year, less trouble and no watering.

Juanbablo · 28/10/2016 14:00

We have had a real one for the last few years which is lovely but they are massive and expensive. We've got a perfectly good fake one in the loft and I'm inclined to use that this year but I do love the experience of going and choosing the tree from the barn.

Minniemagoo · 28/10/2016 14:13

Seriously tempted to get a real tree but really worried it wouldn't last. I like to do Christmas early so will prob do the decorations the weekend of 3rd/4th. Would a real tree last?

EnidButton · 28/10/2016 15:12

We always have a real one. Never had any problems with needles dropping. Rarely get any actually, They look nicer to me and the decorations hang better. Also going to choose the tree is a nice Christmassy thing to do.

But I am tempted by a fake one this year. Especially one that's pre lit. Just popping up the loft ladder and unfolding it sounds a lot easier. I'm allergic to pine oil too, not hugely, but enough to be quite itchy for the day after buying it. I'm not bothered about the pine smell either. In the long term a fake one would work out cheaper.

We do have a 4 foot fake one in the dining room. Bought in the sale for £5!

But we've always had a real main tree in the living room and it's become a Thing. I'm torn basically.

oldlaundbooth · 28/10/2016 15:15

Fake all the way.

We usually put two up but as I'm pregnant and have three year old DS we'll just do one.

Might get a real one next year.

Wayfarersonbaby · 28/10/2016 16:36

I've always had a real one until last year when we were away over Christmas so needed something Christmassy but super-easy which needed no looking after (I went for one of those wooden ones festooned with some fairy lights in the end). DD loved it, no fuss about getting it home and putting it up, and actually for the first time I felt kind of bad about killing a real tree just for Christmas, so we might stick with it again this year. I love real trees - my family never had a fake tree ever when I was growing up - but the wooden one was just so convenient!!

YouCannotPossiblyBeHungry · 28/10/2016 16:42

Think will have to be fake this year. Real trees and underfloor heating don't go very well together.

J0kersSmile · 28/10/2016 16:46

Fake! Had a real one last year, the droppings didn't bother me but that I couldn't get it to stay up straight and it fell over smashing a few of my favourite ornaments means I'll stick to fake everytime from now.

GerrardWinstanley · 28/10/2016 16:53

We go real but there is a farm a mile away who grow and sell them so it's supporting a local business. The DDs love the trip to choose it. I've not found it especially messy but we have wooden floors and the tree goes in the conservatory which stays relatively cool.

I have fantastic memories of the fake silver Christmas tree from my childhood and would have a fake one as well, when the DDs are older and we have more space.

I go for a real wreath on the door now too. The tradition of trees and holly and ivy was to bring life into the house in the dead of winter. After a few years of bereavements and illness and just getting older that has more meaning for me now. Though there is the irony that we're killing a tree to bring life to the house, the tree is only grown to be chopped down for Christmas

Mozismyhero · 28/10/2016 16:56

Real. We go on a tree hunt. Also have a fake in the play room with loads of tacky decorations all over the room. It's like the 1980s in there!

EnidButton · 28/10/2016 16:56

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to buy a fake tree apart from Balsalm Hill please?

OdinsLoveChild · 28/10/2016 17:36

EnidButton your local garden centre should have some and the usual Tesco/Asda/Argos type places. Obviously the likes of QVC and John Lewis or B&Q also sell them.

TrickyD · 28/10/2016 17:38

Fake in the dining room, silver and white decs. I will get this up before we go away for two weeks on 4 Dec. Real in the sittng room, will have to leave purchase of this to DS2 when he gets his and decorate it when we get home on 19 Dec. All very rushed.