Christmas Tree - real or artificial

[Dan Lotus]

I always grew up with real trees, and have to say, I LOVE the smell of them.
Me and my partner continued this tradition (Despite her family having artificial ones) but we changed when we had our daughter, and found a decent quality tree (I pushed the boat out and wanted it to be an 8 footer and got my way) that meets the ceiling.
Another reason we changed, is that one christmas, not that long before our daughter was born, the tree clearly had some kind of dormant insect nest on it which we clearly did not see, and at some point they warmed up/hatched, and we became aware our floor (Fortunately hard floor) was literally crawling with hundreds and hundreds of these tiny insects. It was pretty grim to be fair.

Luckily this was after Christmas day, but it also meant our tree was chopped up well before new year.
It's still a nice event 'assembling' the tree, and we know it will take up the same amount of room each year - no watering and not much in the way of mess.
I know it's not as nice, but we both work, and it's simply more practical.

 

[Reynard]

Artificial here, though I will bring in loads of greenery (holly, ivy, fir and pine) from the garden to have in vases around the house.

There's a choice of various trees up on the loft, but for ease-of-use, I usually plump for a 2ft 1970s jobbie that sits on an occasional table. Am tempted to dust off the 4ft version this year, but not sure that's wise with a new (and curious) cat...

 

[tyred]

I haven't got a Christmas tree! I don't decorate for Christmas. I will be at my parents anyway (which will decorated).

The first Christmas in my new flat, I did think about decorating. I bought a string of fairy lights. They remain in a cupboard and have never been removed from the box.

I've never really been a fan of Christmas. It's for families and children really. Doesn't mean much to me.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Neither! However I do put baubles, tinsel etc on my outside palm tree, seeing that Jesus was born in a part of the world that has palm trees, rather than firs, spruces and pines! 😬

 

[Accy cyclist]

Is it ethically ok to chop down young trees just for a fortnight or so of use?! I couldn't chop them down and wouldn't have a once living tree in my flat! However, i suppose they are reincarnated when they are put through those machines that turn them into little pieces for garden use.🤔

 

[Beebo]

Is it ethically ok to chop down young trees just gor a fortnight or so of use?! I couldn't chop them down and wouldn't have a once living tree in my flat! However, i suppose they are reincarnated when they are put through those machines that turn them into little pieces for garden use.🤔

They are grown specifically to be cut down. It’s just a cash crop like paper pulp.
If you recycle the tree via the council then it’s fairly low carbon.
An artificial tree has to be at least 10 years old to be more ecologically friendly than annual real ones.

 

[FrankCrank]

Artificial - same one for 20 years now, third set of lights though 🎄

Had my erection yesterday

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

When the price of trees shot up during Covid I got a really nice artificial one. It’s paid for itself by now.

 

[Dogtrousers]

They are grown specifically to be cut down.

Bleak.


The Samuel Beckett of Christmas tree posts.

 

[Beebo]

Bleak.


The Samuel Beckett of Christmas tree posts.

Don’t investigate the turkey farmers.
It will shock you.

And Father Christmas is running a sweat shop in Lapland.

 

[postman]

Rubbish...... cut a hole in the ceiling/deck thingy, tree in a bucket and sticking out of the hole, job done.
No need to thank me

Being a Yorkshireman,do wi out bucket cut 'ole int floor.Free watter underneath.thank me later.

 

[MichaelW2]

I erected my yule syntheric vegetation last week.

 

[Dan Lotus]

Our decs never get put up before December, if it were up to me, and I have managed it in the past prior to being a parent, we've literally put them up the weekend before Christmas - I much prefer it to be a shorter time for it to be up as for me that makes it more special, rather than getting used to it for weeks and weeks.

I keep my mouth shut about putting up the tree and decorations though, and am hoping this weekend will slip by without comment, and that hopefully it can last until the 13th/14th before it gets put up and decorated, the weekend after would be even better, but I highly doubt that will happen.

To add, our artificial tree must be 12 or 13 years old now, I think we bought it just before my daughter was born, and it's still in excellent condition, I would imagine it will easily make 30 years old if not more really.

 

[Electric_Andy]

At my family home we always had a real one but switched to fake because of the needles. When I moved out I wasn't fussed, but just had a token small plastic one to appear festive for my young son.

Now I've moved in with my partner who is a big xmas person, we have a posh plastic one in the conservatory and a real one in the lounge.

I must admit, the real one did look lovely last year and we kept it watered so very few needles, and it was collected for free. I only want to go and get a real one this year so i can see my old school friend who owns the farm, who I haven't seen for 28 years

 

[Venod]

No tree here, we have had real and artificial over the years, I always found them an anoyance, dropping balls etc, I suggested we don't have one a few years ago, the wife wasn't keen at first but now she decorates the various twigs and things we have dotted about and now agrees it was a good decision.