For those with Real Christmas Tree's - how long does it take you to buy one?

[biscuitsmustbedunkedintea]

Another thread has got me thinking. Our family have always had a real tree, and as my sister and I have grown up, we too have got real ones. We traipse off with Dad to the same woman every year, but it takes us at least an hour and half to decide on what ones. Is this normal? Mum never comes with us, and usually writes off that we will be gone for most of the morning. I am always amazed at those that drive up while we are there, jump out of the car, go "I need one this high" and take the first one shown to them. We have to drag out trees, turn them round study them from every direction, check the bushiness of the branches, ensure there is sufficient height between angel bottom and next lot of branches, wonder if it needs re-potting and would look better at a slight angle etc etc.

Are we normal or weird?

(Should actually confess that DH and I purchased an artificial tree last year due to exploring DD, but still participate in the annual Family Tree choosing )

normal def ( thinking only an hour and a half) has become a tradition as my mum would take most of the day
Web always go the same place but in memory of my mum we have to pull every one out twirl it round and put it back before we decide!

normal for sure, we always take ages and have to check out loads as they sometimes look good till you give them a twirl! and doesn't the person next to you also looking always seem to grab the perfect tree first?

Takes me five mins. Bloke at the end of the road sells them. Decide if you want a posh expensive one or a normal cheap one. Bloke pulls out two or three. If they are not decidedly wonky or too fat/tall then buy it. If when you get it home it is a bit wonky or tall then cut a bit off as required.

The difficult bit is DH swearing as he tried to get it wedged in the holder stand thingy and me swearing as I untangle the lights which I carefully folded and put away last year and are now a big tangle.

Sounds very familiar to me. I haven't been able to go the last couple of years because me and dd won't fit in the car with dh and the tree, so I stay at home, and my Mum and Dad go in separate car to buy theirs and advise dh. We like a particular 'look' i.e. not too thin at the top, not straggly, about 6ft... Every year our tree and parents tree look very similar! Takes ages as you have to reject so many part-bushy part-straggly ones, or bent ones or ones that have too many broken branches. Finding 'the one' is very hard, but worth the effort.

around 20 mins. but very quick last year as in a sleet storm. Done and dusted in 4 mins and one of tyhe best we have ever chosen.

depends on how cold or wet it is!

We go in two cars in order to fit the tree in. The DC and I are in one car and DH and the tree in the other!

Normal (well, maybe not quite that long, but a degree of inspection is required)

We went in two cars last year so that DH and tree could go home in one and I went in the other with the DC

Sounds excessive to me, we're somewhere in the middle ie. don't take the first one offered, but often find one within a few minutes.

Its the only decision that is wholey mine! Therefore, I have DH and various farm workers stand before me, whilst I eat mincepies and drink mulled wine, twisting and turning trees until I get the one I want!

When the farm workers look at DH like , he just shakes his head and says, 'I know mate, I know!'

i take ages too

with everything else i'm very much the type not to want to waste anyones time but the xmas tree has to be right and it'll annoy you all xmas if it doesn't look right in the room

I am very precious about real trees. They must be PERFECT. But it still only takes about half an hour. Mind you we do drive for an hour and a half to get to a specific place that means I can and have occasionally got into the truck and driven through their tree fields when the stock on display wasn't good enough

Last year I rushed it and had to take it back the next day as it was too big for the space

I will definately be taking longer over it this year, including the use of a measuring tape

Since DS was born and we could no longer fit the three of us and a tree in the car we've used a fab company called Pines & Needles. You order online and specify type & height of tree and then a very nice man in a kilt comes and brings a perect tree and puts it in the stand and everything. If you don't agree the tree is perfect they'll take it away and change it. It's just as exciting as going to choose your own and a lot easier and quicker!