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What's Normal? - Do you have/prefer a real or artificial Christmas tree? (1 Viewer)

Do you have/prefer a real or artificial Christmas tree?

  • Real

    Votes: 40 27.6%
  • Artificial

    Votes: 96 66.2%
  • I don't celebrate Christmas

    Votes: 9 6.2%

  • Total voters
    145
Hard for me to answer, but I went with Artificial because we started using one this year.

I love a real tree... the smell especially, but HATE HATE HATE the process and cost of selecting, buying, transporting, putting up, mess, take down, disposal, etc of a real tree.

My wife would prefer a real tree, especially because she does literally none of the work involved with one. She also complains that they are uneven/crooked/too thin/too full/too tall/too short/doesn't smell good enough/sheds too many needles :confused: She has similar but different complaints about the fake one, but I finally won out this year after spending $170 last year for a tree she complained about.
 
Real, but I don't do a tree. Its really just for me and I don't get enough pleasure from it to justify the effort. Outside lights are my thing.
 
Hard for me to answer, but I went with Artificial because we started using one this year.

I love a real tree... the smell especially, but HATE HATE HATE the process and cost of selecting, buying, transporting, putting up, mess, take down, disposal, etc of a real tree.

My wife would prefer a real tree, especially because she does literally none of the work involved with one. She also complains that they are uneven/crooked/too thin/too full/too tall/too short/doesn't smell good enough/sheds too many needles :confused: She has similar but different complaints about the fake one, but I finally won out this year after spending $170 last year for a tree she complained about.

Yeah - I’ll answer artificial but my preference would be a real tree except it’s a huge PITA and expensive - the juice isn’t worth the squeeze*


*I hate this saying but it popped in to my head when typing the post.
 
Hard for me to answer, but I went with Artificial because we started using one this year.

I love a real tree... the smell especially, but HATE HATE HATE the process and cost of selecting, buying, transporting, putting up, mess, take down, disposal, etc of a real tree.

My wife would prefer a real tree, especially because she does literally none of the work involved with one. She also complains that they are uneven/crooked/too thin/too full/too tall/too short/doesn't smell good enough/sheds too many needles :confused: She has similar but different complaints about the fake one, but I finally won out this year after spending $170 last year for a tree she complained about.
My exact story only she broke down 3 years ago and now we have tree in a box.
 
We get a real tree every year, a 5-6 foot noble fir.

The noble fir is not the best looking, but it is the longest lasting by far. Last years tree was still green and holding needles from thanksgiving all the way through the first week of january.

I do most of the work with the tree and it does not bother me. My wife has suggested a fake tree a few times, but I will do the work for having a real tree.
 
Family tradition when I was younger was to go cut our own down. Did that a few times with my kids and loved it, but the farm closed down a few years ago. To me just buying off a lot wasn't worth the hassle, so finally broke down and bought a fake one last year, something I vowed I'd never do.
 
I prefer a real tree but because the cost got so out of hand we use a fake tree. So preference is real but we have a fake.
 
I prefer a real tree but because the cost got so out of hand we use a fake tree. So preference is real but we have a fake.
We usually get ours at Home Depot. Usually get a 7-8' Fraser Fir for around $75. Sometimes less.

Holds its needles well. Branches are firm for those heavier ornaments. Recycle the tree at the end of the season. A true regenerative resource. Love 'em.
 
Costco used to sell trees at a really sweet price. It was just an 18 wheeler in the parking lot filled with trees. You pulled up your car with your receipt and they threw out a tree. Nice big tree that I would have to cut down b/c it was too big for the shack. Good old days.
 
I prefer a real tree but because the cost got so out of hand we use a fake tree. So preference is real but we have a fake.
We usually get ours at Home Depot. Usually get a 7-8' Fraser Fir for around $75. Sometimes less.

Holds its needles well. Branches are firm for those heavier ornaments. Recycle the tree at the end of the season. A true regenerative resource. Love 'em.
That's cheap. Cost was getting to be over $100-$150 to get any tree that looked decent but was usually 5'-6' tall. You could find trees under $100 but they were more like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
 
I prefer a real tree but because the cost got so out of hand we use a fake tree. So preference is real but we have a fake.
We usually get ours at Home Depot. Usually get a 7-8' Fraser Fir for around $75. Sometimes less.

Holds its needles well. Branches are firm for those heavier ornaments. Recycle the tree at the end of the season. A true regenerative resource. Love 'em.

I think our tree was 70 dollars at lowes this year, but that is the cheap part.

All of our Christmas ornaments are either "home made" ie painted at places like the the glazery or they are purchased while on vacation. We have a tradition of purchasing a christmas ornament from every vacation trip.

This year alone we spent 70 dollars at the glazery painting 6 christmas ornaments and we purchased ornaments from two separate vacations that cost 15 each. It is not even odd that we spent 100 dollars on christmas ornaments this year, we easily have 1000 dollars in christmas ornaments and will continue to accumulate more. The kids like the annual tradition of painting new christmas ornaments.


My wife really loves christmas and listens to christmas music the entirety of december. I will continue to indulge her with putting in the work on a real tree, although next year i think we need to go up to a larger size.
 
I prefer a real tree. We went to artificial because we usually travel around Christmas. If our options were get rid of our tree a week before Christmas, leave kindling standing in our living room for a week, or go fake, it seemed to make the most sense to go fake.
 
I would like a yes/no option because we have a real tree but I think I'd prefer fake. I had no role in picking out the tree or setting it up this year and it still seemed like too much work for what its worth.
 
Last time I got a real tree was around 2009 and it was like $30. We used to decorate two real trees when we first bought the house in 2000. The place near me now charges around $100 all in for a real tree ffs. I bought a NEW fake one this year finally (was using in laws that passed previously) at Michael's for like $150-$200 (reg $549) Black Friday sale. It's REALLY nice. I have to get a storage bag so I can hang it later. The old fake took up way to much space in the garage.

We have about sixteen standard steralite bins of assorted Christmas decorations, lights, and ornaments we use every year. I would live to trim the fat there, but so much of it was passed down to us. Takes up SO much space in the off season.
 
I'd prefer none, but since my wife's opinion supersedes mine and she handles the set up and take down I voted artificial because it's way less mess and less of a fire hazard.
 
:lmao: at A Tree.
6 pine trees in the backyard but we only decorated them once.
5 artificial trees in the house.
 
:lmao: at A Tree.
6 pine trees in the backyard but we only decorated them once.
5 artificial trees in the house.
5!!?? But... why??
🤷‍♂️ we like Christmas.

Daughter uses a small Christmas tree as her night light all year.
Sons 3 and 4 have a small tree in their room.
We have a Charlie Brown tree in our bedroom.
Front dining room has our “main” tree.
Upstairs has a tree by the front window.

Most take only a few minutes to set up, ornaments only go on the dining room tree and the kids trees.
 
Been doing a real one for over a decade now.

We live outside of the city limits and have a bit of unkept wooded area in the back of our lot. I put the tree back there after we break everything down from Christmas and let it sit for several months.

One of my favorite things is when I get to light that dried out tree on fire. It burns up in less than a minute like a sparkler. It is absolutely glorious. Yes, I am a pyro.
 
:lmao: at A Tree.
6 pine trees in the backyard but we only decorated them once.
5 artificial trees in the house.
5!!?? But... why??
🤷‍♂️ we like Christmas.

Daughter uses a small Christmas tree as her night light all year.
Sons 3 and 4 have a small tree in their room.
We have a Charlie Brown tree in our bedroom.
Front dining room has our “main” tree.
Upstairs has a tree by the front window.

Most take only a few minutes to set up, ornaments only go on the dining room tree and the kids trees.
Well, you have all your bases covered in case Santa gets lost.
 
One of my favorite things is when I get to light that dried out tree on fire. It burns up in less than a minute like a sparkler. It is absolutely glorious. Yes, I am a pyro.

My favorite thing growing up as a kid was to see my dad light the Christmas tree on fire around Valentine's Day. He'd wad up two paper towels into a branch and hit it with the lighter and the whole thing would WOOSH in a giant fireball by the time he could draw his hand back.

Always loved a real tree as a kid, but I was never the one that had to deal with buying it/hauling it/etc. Once I got out on my own and got married we did the real tree thing for a couple years but it was a giant hassle, and my wife found an artificial tree at Hobby Lobby on sale post-Christmas that would only cost us 1.5x what a real tree did. Been using that one for I think 7 years now and it still looks great.
 
Ill never forget the year we finally convinced our mother to get a real Christmas tree. And she got one infested with spiders that she was vacuuming up for weeks. Ill never get a real tree after that experience. Ive had the same artificial pre-lit XMas tree for years. Love it!
 
:lmao: at A Tree.
6 pine trees in the backyard but we only decorated them once.
5 artificial trees in the house.
5!!?? But... why??
🤷‍♂️ we like Christmas.

Daughter uses a small Christmas tree as her night light all year.
Sons 3 and 4 have a small tree in their room.
We have a Charlie Brown tree in our bedroom.
Front dining room has our “main” tree.
Upstairs has a tree by the front window.

Most take only a few minutes to set up, ornaments only go on the dining room tree and the kids trees.
Well, you have all your bases covered in case Santa gets lost.
:yes: along with the 8 stockings by the fireplace. (The two dogs share one) 💁‍♂️👸👦👦👦👦👧🏽🦮🐩
 
I love a real tree... the smell especially, but HATE HATE HATE the process and cost of selecting, buying, transporting, putting up, mess, take down, disposal, etc of a real tree.
Same here but we've had an artificial one for over a decade.

A friend from HS has a Christmas tree lot here locally... been in his family a long time. He always calls me up and offers for me to come get some branches so I can put them somewhere in our living room where at least we'll get the smell factor.
 
I could easily vote for both. we have our first real tree this year in many years and it’s great. I grew up with a real trees, but the artificial trees are awesome and so easy. as many have mentioned the PIA factor of the real tree is real lol
 
Was absolutely against an artificial tree but after the twins were born and started destroying everything in their path, I gave up the stance and am glad we use a fake tree now. Have for about 5+ years and no regerts. I used to hate watering it, sweeping up the needles and of course, breaking it down and stuffing the parts in our yard debris bin. Plus, the last one I bough was $80 or so in a state that is the number 1 producer of Xmas trees. Seems a tad askew if you ask me.
 
Yeah, the real tree is such a pain in the arse.

1. Drive to Home Depot
2. Pick out tree
3. Put in back of truck
4. Take it out of truck
5. Cut off the bottom 2 inches
6. Carry in house and put in stand
7. Water it

After Christmas

1. Load tree in truck
2. Take to recycle location which is 2 miles away
 
Yeah, the real tree is such a pain in the arse.

1. Drive to Home Depot
2. Pick out tree
3. Put in back of truck
4. Take it out of truck
5. Cut off the bottom 2 inches
6. Carry in house and put in stand
7. Water it

After Christmas

1. Load tree in truck
2. Take to recycle location which is 2 miles away

Some of us don't have trucks.

Or water.

I think somebody needs to check his privilege at the door!
 
I still prefer a real tree but we've had a fake one for twenty years. Mrs. Eephus had pneumonia in December 2003 and her doctor suggested we get an artificial tree to cut down on the mold and pollen. Well, once you own an artificial tree, you're kind of stuck with it. We thought a few times about dumping it and going back to a real tree but never were motivated enough to do so.
 
Nothing better than the Christmas tradition of loading up the truck with Leroy Junior and the family chainsaw, looking for evergreen owning neighbors on vacation. 🌲
 
Voted artificial. Real trees just not worth the hassle and waste in my opinion. Not to mention allergies.
Mr R is deathly allergic to pine sap. We don't even go inside places with real Christmas greenery. We don't go to places with the Xmas tree deathtrap outside.

We spent money on a flip tree from Balsam Hill. No worries.
 
Voted artificial. Real trees just not worth the hassle and waste in my opinion. Not to mention allergies.
Mr R is deathly allergic to pine sap. We don't even go inside places with real Christmas greenery. We don't go to places with the Xmas tree deathtrap outside.

We spent money on a flip tree from Balsam Hill. No worries.

Interesting - never heard of that allergy before. Is it just pine sap? I seem to recall pine sap being an ingredient in many items - does he have to vet every cleaner, paint/stain, etc.?
 
Hard for me to answer, but I went with Artificial because we started using one this year.

I love a real tree... the smell especially, but HATE HATE HATE the process and cost of selecting, buying, transporting, putting up, mess, take down, disposal, etc of a real tree.

My wife would prefer a real tree, especially because she does literally none of the work involved with one. She also complains that they are uneven/crooked/too thin/too full/too tall/too short/doesn't smell good enough/sheds too many needles :confused: She has similar but different complaints about the fake one, but I finally won out this year after spending $170 last year for a tree she complained about.

we prefer real, but have had an artificial for many years, and bought a new artificial last year.... primarily for ease of clean up.
 
Voted artificial. Real trees just not worth the hassle and waste in my opinion. Not to mention allergies.
Mr R is deathly allergic to pine sap. We don't even go inside places with real Christmas greenery. We don't go to places with the Xmas tree deathtrap outside.

We spent money on a flip tree from Balsam Hill. No worries.

Interesting - never heard of that allergy before. Is it just pine sap? I seem to recall pine sap being an ingredient in many items - does he have to vet every cleaner, paint/stain, etc.?
It's the active ingredient in the stuff. It's volatile, so if you can smell it, it's in the air. It's used in the production of the cheaper medical adhesives. When we go to Walgreens for our vaccinations, he can't have to band-aid they use because of the glue. But generally, it's not a problem. I don't use Pine Sol. Modern paints don't use it. Rosin would be a problem. Mainly, it's greenery at Christmas that is a big deal. When he was a baby, his parents and his doctor couldn't figure out why he was sick every Christmas. His dotor suggested not having a real tree, and voilà the issue went away.
 
When I was a kid my parents used to take us to a Christmas tree farm out in the countryside where we'd have a picnic with fried chicken and IBC root beer, then cut down our Christmas tree. It was a great tradition that I have fond memories of.

I tried to do something like this for my kids. I really tried, ya'll. I think I made it like 3-4 years. But the whole tree cutting, tying to the roof, making a huge mess, dog drinking the water, tree becoming a fire hazard, etc ordeal is just awfu.

We have a pre-lighted artificial tree now and it's wonderful.

I was driving home behind a car w/ a tree on top yesterday and there were zero feelings of nostalgia going through my body. My only thought was "it's like 7 o'clock and those poor bastards have so much annoying work in front of them".
 
In my heart is a Christmas tree farm
Where the people would come
To dance under sparkling lights
Bundled up in their mittens and coats
And the cider would flow
And I just wanna be there tonight
Sweet dreams of holly and ribbon
Mistakes are forgiven
And everything is icy and blue
And you would be there too

🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲
 

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