Real vs faux tree: how can i convince DP that I'm right?

[beaniebaby25]

OK. I want a real tree this year and DP thinks its better to get a plastic one. I'd miss the smell, and the lovely feeling of a real one - plastic ones dont really do it for me (no offense if you have one - they can look very lovely indeed).

His main argument is the fact that its a real tree and will have to be composted etc (and he'll be the one carrying it ) whereas a plastic tree will last longer and he reckons is better for the environment.

So, wise mumsnetters, who is right? which is best from an ecological perspective, and is the enough to override the glory of a real tree? x

We have real trees too. Am a little sad though at how much they cost - from a cost point of view the fake ones win as can be used for quite a few years and cost about the same as a real one. We are growing a couple in the garden to save money in future years!

My mum has a fake tree that she bought in 1981 shortly after she got married. No plans to replace it. The hand-made clothes-peg fairy, also from the 80's, is still in one piece too.

Not to mention the nativity set that my grandma bought in 1940 something. Can you tell that we don't waste much in my family

I gave into my DH for about 3 years with a fake tree but I really hated it, they are nothing like the real thing! We eventually sold it and are happily back to the real thing.
I get them from a grower where you pick your tree in the wood. You can dig up a small one and plant it afterwards. If you just have it cut the council now recycle them.

I have limited space this year and can't really face the needles so am getting a v cute one to go on top of a cupboard, already wired with lights, but would miss the smell of a real one.
What I'm going to try is a small flower decoration with pine foliage, which should be out of the way on the table but hopefully will smell nice. Seems a good idea now but when I run out of time I will be cursing it.

well I think the eco angle is offset by its potential re-use.

I would say go real for the usual reasons, smell, christmassyness () etc but 4 years ago I discovered our huge Tree was covered in revolting insects and the insects had spread themselves all over the floor [gross]. Have used fake one ever since.

The most environmentally-friendly option for a Christmas Tree is to buy a locally grown tree, preferably certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or Soil Association.

If you can buy a living tree and have the space to plant it out, so much the better, otherwise it should be composted, many councils do doorstep collections.

A plastic tree may be reusable, but when it comes to the end of its useful life it will hang around in landfill for hundreds, probably thousands of years.

More info here

i went for an artificial one last year, and i just missed having a real tree. Growing up we had a real one. I missed the smell, when come into the house, go downstairs in the morning, My fake one was a pita and took abotu 2 hrs to erect, with all these branckes alphabetically coded into slots.

it was tooooooooooooo fake, and it left a total mess too!!!

I bought one in a pot a few years ago for a tenner in Homebase. It comes indoors at Christmas, then lives round the side of the house for the rest of the year. It's happy, healthy and hasn't grown too big because its roots are restricted in the pot. And I've saved loads of money!

DH's fake tree will be celebrating its 30th Christmas this year, and MIL's fairy her 50th or thereabouts. But I'll be getting a real tree and recycling it afterwards too.

Real. Can be shredded and composted. But get it from a local farmer. Will last longer and be greener.

Can't be doing with plastic.

I'm allergic to pine needles and sap.

I have to have a fake one

ok... next question - when is a reasonable time to get one?! I've just about managed to talk DP into getting a real one (he's still refusing but I can tell he's going to get me a real one as a suprise) - i can just see that assumption coming back to bite me!

Anyway, is this weekend too soon for a real tree? should i hold off? the excitement is too much! this is our first xmas in our owned flat and it feels so right, can't wait to get the (lovely, real) tree

We always get ours the first weekend, this year it would be the 30th because I can't wait until the 6th .

We never have any trouble with it, we get one of the non-drop kind and it lasts until the end of Christmas without any difficulty!

(do wrap it up securly to take it out though as I have found that all the needles drop with the first decent bump!)

Well done with Dp BTW

Last SUnday before Christmas. The wildlife trust grow and sell them to raise funds. Might get it a week earlier this year and leave it in the garden until the following weekend.

We usually get ours the weekend before Christmas.

Any earlier and I'm sick of the sight of it by Christmas Day.

I have never had a real tree after being shown this film uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lPyrJbKJpIY The fire offers explained that after 33 seconds you could say good bye to the upstairs romms directly over the tree and the smoke will do the rest of the damage

we had our first real tree last christmas and everyone loved it!! The kids marvelled at the smell and actually enjoyed getting spiked while decorating the tree So we shall be getting a real one again this year but have to wait until conservatory is finished so we can have somewhere to put it as last years spec is now a cubpboard.

We're having a real one this year, but have gone with a fake the last few years due to having crawly babies. I have missed the smell

Fizzbuzz has a very valid point, pine sap can be a serious irritant. I also hate the way it can ooze from the ends of the branches and drips onto expensive tree decs making them sticky. As I have a christmas tree climbing cat, I don't fancy a trip to the vet with a cat that has tried to lick her sticky fur.

Gardening Which? recommend getting only cut trees or potted with all their roots. Don't get cut trees with wooden bits nailed to the trunk base, they need to be able to take up water! Avoid trees with limp branches, those already starting to shed needles, and partially rooted trees.

Allow 3 weeks for your cut tree to look good, so getting one mid-December will still be OK by 12th night, obviously a rooted tree will last longer if cared for, much more expensive though.

We used to put our cut tree in a plastic tub, and fill with pea shingle to support the trunk and add ballast, then add water. Even a norway spruce lasted 3 weeks with minimal needle drop this way. Remember to saw at least 3cm off the trunk to open up the water channels, and stand in a bucket of water.

They also mention tree varieties that drop minimally, such as Blue spruce, Fraser fir, Lodgepole pine, Noble fir, and Scots pine.

FAKE CHRISTMAS TREE! ! ! ! !

REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL REAL

Blimey - just watched that link of the real tree catching fire. Terrifying.

Girly, I have never had tree sap from one of my trees - which type do you get?

A real tree for us now. When the children were babies and toddlers we had a fake one because it would have hurt the lo's less if they pulled it over on top of themselves.

Nc birdy, the trees I had were just cut norway spruce, perhaps I over filled their tub with water! It was definitely tree sap because it smelled of pine!

However, I am now committed to making our fake one last as long as poss, it must be sturdy to survive a 3.4kg cat climbing it without falling over.

I do get the real tree smell to some extent by making a table decoration using blue fir offcuts bought from local market flower stall.

Odd! Perhaps it is the watering - I do water a lot though... Maybe mine come from the Sap-Free shop?