Real or fake Christmas tree? Share your opinions with Homebase for a chance to win a £300 Homebase voucher. NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

‘Tis the season once again. With Christmas on its way, Homebase is keen to get Mumsnetters’ views on the pros and cons of getting a real or fake tree.

Here’s what they have to say: “The Christmas tree is at the heart of everyone’s Christmas look but where do you stand on the annual dilemma - real or fake? Are you a fan of the fresh pine scent and traditional feel you only get from a real tree? Or do you go for a versatile artificial tree most years? Let us know if you go as far as ‘lights included’ or if your fake tree came already snow-tipped and adorned with berries and cones. Tell us all about your trees from over the years, whether you decide on authentic or artificial this Christmas and any tips you have on caring for real trees.”

So what do you think? Does the authentic smell of a real tree win you over? Or are smaller artificial trees better suited to your home? Do you get your family's much-loved tree out of the loft each year or is it a Christmas tradition to go together and choose one? Does real or fake really matter to you and your family?

Whatever your opinion, Homebase wants to know.

We’ll enter everyone who posts on this thread into a prize draw to win a £300 Homebase voucher.

Thanks and good luck.
MNHQ

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I love a real tree :)

Fake .. only had a real one once and couldn't be doing with all the pine needles!

I would love a real tree but the cost is too much so I have an artificial tree that works out much more reasonable.

We're very lucky to have a local landed estate where they grow Christmas trees, & you can choose one from the plantation, they cut it for you so it's as fresh as it could possibly be. Includes spiders & ladybirds & other creepy crawlies! so we leave it in the garage for 24 hours & then give it a good shake before decorating it.

The smell of a real Christmas tree takes me back to childhood when we had magical Christmases.

Love real but fake is more practical so we have that

We have a real tree for the scent. Fake trees look very convincing these days but the one thing missing is that fragrance.

I've never considered anything but a real tree. I love the event of chosing it from a local farm, the smell & even the few dropped pine needles.

Fake Christmas tree for me 🤓

We love a real tree! A good 7ft tall, which takes over the living room!

Fake for us....although im pretty sure its sheds more than a real one would!

We only had a real tree last year, before that we'd always had fake trees. I like the convenience and expense of the fake, but I also like the adventure and fun of a real one :)

Definitely fake, I'm the sort of person that doesn't replace anything until it's stopped working so couldn't deal with throwing something out after such a short period of time (and don't have anywhere to plant a real one after it's been used)

Fake tree here for years, only changed in size. I remember as a kid going to the tree fields, picking one out that nearly killed my dad to dig up and then tied it to the car to get home....

I did notice some pine/spruce scent sticks, should anyone miss that 'cut tree' smell!

We don't have much space so for the time being we have a fake one, but when we have a bigger house we will definitely have a real one

Has to be fake for me as I can't stand the thought of some creepy crawlies sneaking in on real tree!

fake

We love real trees, although they are expensive the smell and look are lovely.

Love the smell and look of a real one... hate clearing up the needles.

We have always had a fake tree as for years I wasn't keen on the smell of pine. Last year I came across a fake tree which smelt of pine, I looked closely to see they had pine scenticles hanging from the branches and this changed my mind completely. So I purchased them and have found that I actually do like the smell . My partner has asked for a real tree for years and I must admit that in a couple of years when we move into a bigger house we will be swapping to a real tree.

Its a difficult one as both are great but fake you only use once and involves lots of cleaning i.e. vacuuming so fake wins for me :)

You can't beat a real one, the smell really makes Christmas, and picking the numerous needles out of the presents in strangely entertaining! At the moment I've got two artificial ones, a prelit decorated with berries etc that I pretty much leave as is and a plain one that we decorate

Fake, after a disastrous year with a real one and spending thent 12 months picking up needles. I have always been useless with plants of any kind :(

If I could afford it i'd have a real one every year.... but a really good fake will have to do the job I'm affraid.

Real, but we have no carpets so I can sweep up the needles.

Real for us, they make a mess but the cat leaves them alone and they smell of Christmas :)