Christmas Trees! Fake vs Real!

[Asparagus and Lemons]

I've ALWAYS gone real, love the smell and the realness. But this year I'm considering buying a fake one. I just cannot be bothered with the cleaning and running away from spiders.. especially if I'm planning on not showing fear infront of dd. Probably when I settle into being a mum a bit better I will go real again.

[*Efjay*]

Fake, don't really understand the concept of killing a tree for chirstmas?

[LionsandBears]

We always had real ones. I love the smell, but the mess is a pain, then there's the organising getting rid of it in January. We don't have access to a trailer and one won't fit in the car, so last year we bought a good quality fake on sale at DJs. it's 6ft and really bushy. It doesn't smell the same, but DH is English and he still can't get his head around Christmas in Summer, so it's more for me.

[NaeNae]

We have ALWAYS had real ones at Mum and Dads up until 10 years ago when I moved back home with my jack russell X Tobi ... Mum and Dad have had a fake tree ever since and I swear it doesn't feel the same at their place now when they have the fake tree up.

I have to have a laugh at all the spider scaredy cats ... You know in ALL the years I have had a real tree, I have NEVER seen a Huntsman Spider in or on the tree. In the box of decorations, yes! In the house generally sheltering from heat or rain, yes! but NEVER on the tree. Ok so I have just jinxed myself.

I never have and never will buy a fake tree. I also ONLY buy from the tree farms, they are cheaper than buying from the supermarkets and it supports local growers. Last year we have an 8ft this year I want a BIGGER one, we're going tree shopping next weekend, hopefully. There is nothing like THAT SMELL wafting through the house. All the mess is so worth it.

[NaeNae]

Fake, don't really understand the concept of killing a tree for chirstmas?

thats so funny .... I guess its like meat!! they are grown for that purpose.

[*Efjay*]

True. but we eat the meat. They provide nutrition.
The tree's just die though?

eta - Im not trying to debate or offend. I just don't really get the appeal.
I have a real one one year but it was in a pot & I planted it out the back. I named him George LOL

[ezymay]

Real for us!! We had real trees when I was a kid and one my dad grew in a pot (not the proper pine tree but something similar) But DH and I had fake ones when we got together. I wanted to start up a tradition for DD's first christmas so 3 years ago we went to the Christmas Tree farm and choose one! Next year it was a bit bigger and then this year DH went all Clark Griswald from National lampoon on me and we have gotten an 8 and a half foot tree!!!! I'm not sure if it will even fit!!! We will pick it up this weekend. We find with the right love and care it lasts all of decemeber.

[CrazyLady]

7 foot fake one that looks real and even dropped a few needles as we undid it. We made sure it was a real looking fakey though. DP's house always had real until a couple of years back because they got really expensive for a decent one. My house we always had to have fake because pine sets mum's asthma off and it was either mum would have been in hossie at christmas or have a fake tree. I like the fake ones though, less vacuuming

[Taurean]

we have a 7ft fake, bushy, fluffy one and I love it!

Snap! And I love ours too. They look so real and pretty!!

[MummaSue]

When I was younger and living back home in Scotland, we had a real one. But mum got sick of vacuuming the pine needles and still finding them in the carpet 6 months later so she switched to fake.

I'd love a real one here but don't think it would last too long - I like to put my tree up on the 1st Dec. So we have a fake one which is just as lovely - well, not quite but I tell myself it is.

And for every tree they cut down for xmas apparently 2 more are planted.

[NaeNae]

True. but we eat the meat. They provide nutrition.
The tree's just die though?

eta - Im not trying to debate or offend. I just don't really get the appeal.
I have a real one one year but it was in a pot & I planted it out the back. I named him George LOL

I don't know about anyone else but I am not offended I think its sweet, especially George LOL thats so cute. hmmmm lets see meat provides nutrition yes ... the trees provide something lasting ... a memory, a smell memory! a place that someone can turn to when they are sad or lonely. Maybe I am getting old but remembering that smell one time a year is a very precious one. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and takes me back to my youth. Thats pretty powerful and pretty wonderful ... lets call it nutrition for nostalgia.

Look at it this way, its only a mass slaughter once a year, thousands are planted in place and people get something a little magic and special that helps to lift their spirits and get into the festivities another way to look at it ... better to have it slaughtered while its young and pretty rather than when they are old and dangerous ... trust me on that we have a driveway FULL of old Pines (planted around 1879) they are very dangerous.

ETA - Also when they are dead they rot back into the earth feeding other plants and animals and providing shelter for the little grubs ... lets not forget about the grubs when the plastic trees "die" they clog up land fill

[Nai]

Real for us too - we only have one every second year as we are away interstate the other years. We have floorboards so easy sweep up of pine needles and I have never seen a spider come out of the tree - or any other creepy crawly for that matter!

We also have open fireplaces so the tree gets cut up, dried out and used as fire wood so it all gets used in the end. The scouts near us also do a Christmas tree collection for $10 in January.

[*Efjay*]

DH was reading over my shoulder & said Yep, just like meat, we all kill cows & hang them to rot in our house for a month & then toss it out too.

LMAO

[Enchanted]

FJ!

I was discussing this whole "issue" with my gf the other day. She said each year her Mum used to get the tree, pop it outside, spray the whole thing with surface spray and leave it overnight so all the creepy crawlies died. Then she brought it inside the next day spider free, popped it in a bucket with some water and a bottle of lemonade to help the sap or something??!? and it lasted easily into the new year!

[Beautiful Disaster]

We have a fake one too. Next year DF wants to get a real one but im not a fan of the mess. Maybe when Jnr is a bit older and isnt going to try and eat it lol

[lilmisspositive]

We have a real tree. It came from Victoria but the business is from Qld. They spray it before transport and once it arrives. Looking green and lush still and it was delivered on December 1st.

As for mess, I have a tree skirt and the only time we have had to sweep under the tree was when it first got delivered and we were decorate it. Maybe it was the type of tree we got. It is a Monterey pine which is suitable for Australia.

We got it through real christmas tree dot com. 80 dollars for our 6 foot 1 tree but worth every cent. I just could not imagine a tree without the smell of pine. Think that has something to do with being Canadian though. : )

[HotI]

There was a 'current affairs' program that looked at the environmental impact of real vs fake and found that due to the water and plastic required to make the fakies (emissions etc) you need to have it for 20 years for it to equal the environmental impact of having 20 real trees.

[Miss.September]

There was a 'current affairs' program that looked at the environmental impact of real vs fake and found that due to the water and plastic required to make the fakies (emissions etc) you need to have it for 20 years for it to equal the environmental impact of having 20 real trees.

Well I guess we're okay with that over here - I had my mum's tree up until two years ago and she bought it in 1975!!!!!

Real ones make me sneeze and have puffy eyes, so it's fake for me.