If you tend to get a fake Christmas tree, why?

[Spidermama]

Wouldn't you rather have a real one?
I don't understand fake trees. What are the advantages?

have always had a real one, when i lived at home and when i was married.

Last year we gt a beauty, and this year I am considering prob go to this pace you can dig them up, and replant for next year.

I am in Devon and there are quite a few growers around.

But fake ones will be around in landfill for hundreds of thousands of years.

Real trees do not come in pink
Simple as that

I'd love another real tree, but
DS's are small and will try to play with it, pull it down etc,
Youngest one will more than likely pick up the dropped needles and try to eat them,
Dog may pee against it.
The needles stick in the carpet for months,
Needles are usually found throughout the house,
Real trees can loose their looks and die off quickly,
You need to dispose of it somehow (presuming it's a cut one) trailing more needles everywhere,
Expensive to get a new one each year.

Fake tree =
No dropping needles,
1 tree will last years,
Easy to put up, take, down and store.

Darthvader.

You have no way of know that, Spidermama, as fake Christmas trees haven't been put in landfills until recently.

Besides, a fake tree can easily last for 20+ years.

You have no way of know that, Spidermama, as fake Christmas trees haven't been put in landfills until recently.

Besides, a fake tree can easily last for 20+ years.

my dh wont let me have one

At the risk of being over critical and bah hunbuggy .... Artificial Trees are Not the Green Alternative

In comparison, artificial trees are non-biodegradable, and their manufacturing process requires large amounts of fossil fuels. Their manufacture occurs in countries that have very few, if any, environmental controls on emissions of noxious gasses. The transportation of artificial trees, halfway around the world, also adds significantly to the overall consumption of fossil fuels in their use.

We switched to a fake tree when we discovered (after cutting up a real one and hawling it to the recycling point) that dh was allergic to real ones

He was really uncomfortable for days afterwards and we went right out and bought an artificial one in the January Sales.

I like our artificial one, it's got a much nicer shape than many of the real ones we've brought home. Looks fairly realistic. Doesn't shed. Doesn't need watering.

Same as Dressed up, DH won't have one.

We always had artificial until I was about 10yrs old, then lovely big real ones. Would prefer a real tree, but would worry about the DC's/Mess etc.

I'm very allergic to real Christmas trees

put aside the 'green' issue then. There are quite a few other advantages, and advantages are what you wanted to know

BUT, SM, Once you buy an artificial tree don't you have it for years, so some of the environmental impact is outweighed?

We certainly don't buy a new fake one every year!

Yes pointy I can see there are advantages when it comes to cost and lack of mess.

I hate real trees.

We have a long history of conflict.

They started it.

I was overriden until ds came along and dp was to lazy to go and get one himself.

We have a fake. I am happy with this.

You have it for about five yers (I'm guessing) then it spends centuries in landfill. Generations.

Any real tree will have rotted down long before that. Actually we cut up ours and use it in the fire.

Ahh glad you said that SM, was starting to resist the urge to flick your forehead, my dear

Ooh, arr, Spidermama, think of all that carbon dioxide you are releasing when you burn your tree.

BTW, I think 20 years is more like the timeframe of an artificial tree, and I don't think you will find any that are several hundred years old in any landfill.

we always had real trees when i was little and i love them, but just not practical at the moment. ds is fascinated by christmas at the mo, decorations, santa, the whole works! so a real tree wouldnt last five minutes. however, when he's older we might get a real one, we'll see!

I looove real ones and to me it would feel like a shame if Ds's didn't associate the smell with Christmas - having something 'alive' in the house (well that was recently alive) is oddly exciting.

BUT they are massively expensive, etc etc...

One thing though,. I though they were just the tops of bigger trees...like they 'prune' off the top every year, not killing the actual tree? And don't they use up huge amounts of CO2 growing as well? ~That makes me think it's good to go with real.

Plastic ones seem a bit pointless to me, not being a snob just no smell= no point! It's the smell I love so much.

(I did find a tinsel one on a rubbish heap once and used that a few times. It was sad and retro. Mm..mm)

I get it out of the attic every year.

I was brought up with an artificial tree. It was a game to us to see how much of the tree we could conceal with our home made decorations God, we were one classy family!

oh it's too confusing. it's easier to just bung some tinsel on my yucca.

I don't "tend to get" one - I have one that I only had to buy once.

When the boys are bigger, I'll get a real one again - I love them. But until then, I can't deal with pine needles in small feet!

Becasue:

A) Mum is allergic to real ones

B) DS3 (SN) would put the needles in his mouth / eyes etc and potentially hurt himself

C) DH ahtes the smell of pine