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

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I had a real one as a child and always thought that was the way it should be with its fantastic smell, but now I realise the expense and mess is too much and prefer artificial trees.

Real, always real. I did buy an artificial one once but that was soon joined by its more authentic version. The fake one was relegated to the playroom. It's the choosing it, getting it straight, twirling it for its best side, decorating and admiring it and most of all the smelling it. I've tried all sorts of candles and diffusers to emulate the scent but all smelled of bog cleaner.

Fake here! No mess left behind and it's just what we always had growing up so I'm used to it I suppose!

Fake. From a cost and environment perspective.
I'd love a real one though if money and space weren't a problem.

Real every year since I left home so far. This year we are away for a couple of weeks up to Christmas eve so the choice is artificial or nothing.

I grew up with real trees with roots that were planted in the garden in the new year.

Once I had my own home in didn't have the space to plant trees out so I bought a decent fake tree. Saves the faff of hunting around for a good shaped tree and no needles. The different sized branches are colour coded, the dc's love building it.

Since my 11 year old was born we have had a real tree, but last year they rocketed the prices and we got a artificial tree. We prefer the real one... The smell the look even the needles which get everywhere and are still finding at Easter. But until we can afford a £50 tree at Christmas the fake tree will be our friend. *sobs into sofa cushion.

Fake here. We have a gorgeous 7ft one that cost a fortune a couple of years ago but I love it.

I often think that real ones look a bit bare and I couldn't be arsed with all the needles everywhere - I vacuum enough as it is!

I visited my friend last Christmas and she was saying that she would never get a real tree again. When I went into the living room I realised why. Their Christmas tree was in the corner of the room looking really sorry for itself. It's branches were all droopy and it looked really sad . It might have been that the room was too warm or something but it put me off having a real tree.

Real tree every time and no chance of a fake one crossing the threshold in this house. The smell, the fact that it's different every year, decorating it and working out where things will go and how on earth you can attach the angel to the top.

And then of course you have the annual Christmas Tree Buying Trip. All four of us now, DS1 and DS2 running around choosing absurd trees that are 5 feet too short or all lop sided and declaring their undying love for them.The choice of needles everywhere or a tree that looks a bit wrong. Getting it in the car and thinking you may have to leave one of the children behind to get it home.

You can't replace that with a plastic tree that folds up

2 small, rambunctious boys plus a general dislike of dropping pine needles means fake is the way forward!
I bought a tall, thin pine which suits the shape of our room. It's stable enough that the kids can decorate it, although I put the lights on first.
Once decorated, it stands on a table, nearly touching the ceiling, twinkling away.
It will be on its 3rd year this Christmas and I love it!

We have a 2 ft purple fake tree complete with decorations, because we only have a tiny TV room and it sits on the table. If we had room we'd rent a real tree so it could continue its life after Christmas. [santa]

Has to be a real tree. LOVE the pine smell, tis truly Xmas!

Just switch the radiator off in that room to reduce needle drop

Can't wait?

We have a fake one as they seem to be more child friendly, however have been lucky enough in the last few years to pick up a real tree as well in the week running up to Christmas so we get to enjoy a real tree for a short period of time too!

We've had a real one for ages and Ive always loved them. They've always had a fabulous smell and have held onto their needles until well into the new year. I would never even have considered an artificial tree, but then last year was an unmitigated disaster. The sodding tree dropped needles if you even walked in the room. It looked like utter shit by boxing day. I'm strictly a 12 days of Christmas girl - it always stays up til 12th night. Last year it was gone by New Years Eve. I couldn't cope with it any longer. There was huge globs of tree sap all over the floor, the mess was incredible and it took hours to get it off. I think I've possibly been cured of my real tree addiction, but I've had a quick look at artificial ones and the good ones, seem really expensive - don't really know what to do.

Real. Couldn't bear to have an artificial one. Christmas for me is about the trip to choose the tree, finding the right size and bushiness, getting it home and into position.

The smell, the size, the colouring - I love it! I've never found pine needles to be a problem, especially since you can get the no-drop firs now. We have wooden floors which probably helps - super easy to vacuum any needles up.

The council collect trees after Christmas so easy to dispose of. And they get chipped and re-used too.

Always real here. There are two things in my marriage my husband is unwilling to compromise on,

1. 2 children only

2. A real Christmas tree every year

He is absolutely right but don't tell him or there will be no livig with him

It's a toughie, I love the smell and nostalgia of a real tree but hate the trickles and faff. We've had a fake for the last few years and with a cat and a toddler I.think fake is the most practical option for us. The symmetry of a fake tree also.makes it easier to decorate I think.

Me and dp got a real tree when we moved in together as it seemed more chrismassy! And when I was little my parents had real trees. Its easier with a fake though, spend less and no driving to the dump 4 months later (yes that's what we did with our real one...) We will be getting another real one this year :D

Real tree every time! Love going to choose the tree and it smells lovely! Love the noble fir :)

We used to have a real tree every year but it was such a faff having to clear up the fallen needles .I eventually realised that it was better to just vacuum the tree in situ and empty the vacuum bag often.
But even the novelty of that wore off and we bought a big voluptuous tree with loads of branches and dense needle coverage. I love it but it is so heavy that we both dread having to take it out of the loft and setting it up. It looks great but I'm on the hunt for an easier tree to have now.
I would like a pop up tree that comes with lights and decorations already attached and still look like a 'proper' tree. I've seen similar but they tend to be on the sparse side. I'm sure that this is only because it's physically impossible to have a lot of needles and still be able to fold away neatly . But the search goes on...

Always real. Fortunately we have a house with 13 foot high ceilings and a lovely bay window, so we can get a nice big (non-needle-drop) tree without it overpowering the room.

The main difficult is getting the trunk to fit into the holder!

When ds was a toddler we put the baby den around it. We were already in the habit of putting non-breakable ornaments on the lower branches as we have two cats!

Every Christmas since ds was born, I've bought a Father Christmas decoration for him it fits with my red colour way : he's 15 now so there will be 16 of "his" ornaments on the tree. When he leaves home, he'll have a set of ornaments to form the foundation of his new own collection.

I love getting the same decorations out every year. In addition to the one I buy ds, I find a new nice red decoration for me every year - although that usually just compensates for a glass one that gets broken.

I've never had the space for a real tree so it's a fake with pine scented decorations

This year we have the room so I'm wavering....

Dh usually gets it out the house by dropping it out the window!

We used to love a real tree , can't beat the smell...but having 3 children has meant for the last 10 years there have been little ones around so we have had a fake one to save pine needle stress!
Also DH and I aren't very good at looking after our real trees and they don't look too great by the time Christmas day actually comes round....and we are also pretty bad about picking one then getting it home and realising it is way too tall or wide and DH has to hack part of it off!

Our DC's are finally old enough that we could get a real one this year ..I quite like the idea of making the whole choosing a tree part of the festivities although for ease I probably will stick with artificial. Fake ones are so much better now than when we were younger though -My dad and I found one of our old fake ones from when I was little in his loft recently and it wasn't like I remembered at all...it looked a bit like a cactus ! haha

Always had a real tree (7ft) in our family home growing up. We had our own tradition of going hunting for it and stopping by the local burger van on the way home.

The smell of real pine trees is so lovely, the dropped pine needles are a pain (in the foot!) though!

It will be mine and my husbands first Christmas together in

1. our new home 2) being married 3) we 2 new cats!

Looks like we'll be getting a posh good quality artificial this year, with lots of Xmas candles and room fragrance! I'd like to get a potted one to use year after year outside though - less waste :)