Christmas tree - real or artificial?

Yes Jonathan, people are reading the whole blog!  Christmas is the only Holiday I decorate for, and it's a major event here.  Artificial Trees are gorgeous and no doubt serve a purpose for many but it just wouldn't be Christmas for me without a real tree.  I was born in the middle of December, and for many years when money was really really tight going to pick out the tree on my birthday was the way I celebrated.  Having no money for gifts other then the babies was ok with me so long as I had my tree.

Each year when I get the tree decorations out it's like seeing old friends and I alway walk down memory lane.  I don't do decorator trees, mine is a compilation of  Babys First Christmas ornaments for my kids and grandkids, ornaments made by the girls from the time they started school, red velvet roses and a white dove honoring the marriage of my oldest daughter who was married in December, crocheted ornaments made by my Mom and my Grandmother.  I have a few collectibles but most are priceless only to me.  My finishing touch is always white bows and candy canes. Each year the memories unfold and envelope me in the love of family and friends through the years.

I started collecting stuffed Christmas animals the year I had my first baby, and have purchased a couple every year and now have nearly 27yrs of Christmas Bears, and mice, and dogs and dolls and snowmen. 

There is not a single room in the house that does not get decorated, and it takes me nearly a week to get it all done so I normally start right after Thanksgiving.  I still get excited and do a girlish jig when we go get the tree, it's a simple pleasure that means so much.

It's definitely a time to try something new. This year, for the first time ever, we purchased a small (4 foot) artificial tree. Since we only buy gifts for children there doesn't seem to be a pressing need to double up the heart medication in preparation for viewing the prices on half dead trees for all of a month. The jury is still out. After Christmas I may change my tune but for this year I am really happy to not have to drive around inspecting trees and all the mess associated with it. And yes, of course we read through the entire posts.

Lily's Lore "I don't ever want to be rescued And I don't ever want to be saved I got a feelin' that I'm gonna be alive forever Dancin' on the edge of a grave..." Jim Steinman

I have always loved real live trees, and can remember through the years from my dad chopping one down to buying on a tree lot.  I especially remember one time when my daughter was a teenager; she had chosen a tree that was a bit more expensive than I thought we should spend.  But, as I looked into those big eyes, I caved, and even though the presents were "light" that year, it's one that she and I both remember so fondly.

Nowadays, I'm happy to be able to have either one.  The one in the garage might be chosen this year, or I may go all out and hit the tree lot.  Regardless, the ornaments will be hung and as Marsha said, I have some that have very special meaning.

 Thanks, Jonathan, for such a meaningful post. 

Well, being a transplant from central NY, we always had real trees.  When I was a kid, we went into the woods and cut our own (and I have great pics to prove it).  The year before moving to Orange Park, FL, I had my first table-top artificial tree.  I vowed not to do that again.

We moved here in 1996 and have done everything possible to have a real tree.  The first Christmas, my sister and I went to Publix north of 295 on Blanding and got a real deal, and the tree held up very well.  The next time I can't remember exactly where, but a tree 'tent' I think, we bought another 'real' tree.  All the needles fell off before we could get it outta there immediately after Christmas.

In 1998, we purchased our home and my children came from NY for the holidays.  We had a real tree (a Leland cypress) and it held up very well but was difficult to decorate.  In following years, we cut our own at a tree farm and they lasted for a time and we also bought live trees but they died after being planted in the warm sandy soil of our yard.  In 2003 I had the bright idea of putting the tree on the sunporch, (we had a new kitten rescued from the back yard and she was a wild girl).  My thought was that we could enjoy the tree through the Fr. doors and others could enjoy it from the street.  However, little cat knocked the tree over twice and broke the expensive tree stand in the brief times she was out there.  In 2005, I purchased a fake tree and still have it.  Seems like the real trees are 'worser and worser' every year about holding their needles - even when tested upon purchase (by running your hand backwards over the needles to see how soft they are, or how brittle).  Just not worth the effort and the mess anymore, or maybe I'm just getting older and more grinchlike. 

I don't know if I'll put the tree up this year or not, but I think in one year we didn't have one and I really missed it.  It all depends on whether I feel like hauling it down from the attic, and I probably will.  I have more time now that I'm not stuck in the commute to Jacksonville every day, and have no excuse, unless my 'bah humbug' attitude surfaces again. 

And Jonathan, when I start reading a blog, I always finish reading it.  Thanks for participating and for the personal story.

I've gotten mine from the same company that comes here for several years now, and have never had a problem with bugs or dropping needles to speak of. 

There was a company I used to buy them from and had them shipped in.  They're cut the day before they are shipped so not only are they fresh, but they're perfect in everyway......except the cost, but I've already orated on how important a tree is to me, I give up Birthday Presents for the tree of my choice.  One year a tree we ordered got caught in a freeze and lost it's needles before we could even get it decorated.  They overnighted me a free tree with no questions asked. 

I stopped ordering them only because I now have a home with a 37' ceiling from my den and want a larger tree, and anything over 8ft with them gets reallllly costly.  You can find them on the net. Laurel Springs Fraser Firs for anyone who is interested

 Wow Marsha(a real tree devotee!), if I knew how to have them shipped I might still be putting up a REAL tree, there is nothing like that smell.  I am just too neurotic to have a real tree after friends lost everthing in a house fire they think was started by their Christmas tree.

Even putting up my "fab-fake" (pre-lit too!) I enjoy the wondefrul memories that flood back to my heart as I unwrap each ornament. My personal favorites are made of glitter and macaroni! My kids used to explain to their new friends (when they happened to be around for tree trimming) "Momma is just  sentimental, you will hear a story for almost every ornanment she unwraps, some even make her cry" It also is a litmus test for prospective son or daughter in laws.If they can't handle that night complete with hot cider and cookies we all figure they will NEVER make it through family monopoly or charades!

Hmmmm.....it makes me want to start decorating this weekend.

I seen posted on someones blog last week they had their Christmas Tree and Decorations up already.. I am guessing its not a Live Christmas Tree.  I love the fresh smell of a Real Tree.. Although I want to warn you if you do decide to get a real tree....check your tree, real good for FREEBIES!! Here's a good example of why...A friend of mine last year got a "FREEBIE" with her tree. A freebie that she could have done without!!  A nest of baby "Daddy Long legs" was in there somewhere. Sometime shortly after she bought the tree and set it up, they decided to hatch and came crawling out. Talk about a nightmare, they were everywhere!! Anyways.... I hope this year you find a BIG FULL tree (instead of your Charlie Brown kind) when your time comes to shop!!.

Edited after the fact I seen that most of Jonathans post was missing when I replied to it.. so now I look like a "DORK" (The part about the Spiders and stuff totally was missing..)

I really want to go with a real tree this year. My husband doesn't want to because of the fire place here and worried about something happening.. (Yes I read all of the entire post.. when it shows up that is!) Thanks for sharing your story!!

 Shannon www.myspace.com/craighand

We go back and forth from real to artificial.  We have a really nice artificial one, but after a couple years of one, we change up.  The years we use the artificial one, we always get some cuttings from the real trees and make wreaths for the wonderful holiday smell.

I was just talking with Mom today about memories of past Christmas trees and one that sticks out in my mind is an artificial tree that was silver.  Each limb was in its own cardboard sleeve.  The finishing touch was a lamp with a rotating 4-colored plastic disk that caused the tree to change colors as the disk revolved.  I remember just sitting there watching that tree change colors over and over.

Jonathan - of course we read your entire post.  We always read ALL of everyone's posts.  Seriously, great post.  Thanks for sharing.  Merry Christmas - I know it's early, but it is the best part of the year, especially if you have little kids/grandkids.

Coming from a "mixed" family, Jewish and Christian, I always got the best of both during the year.  My step-mom always wanted to have a real tree when we lived in MD but after they relocated to Central FL, they started the artificial tree tradition as a matter of convenience, I think.

Keeping with the "mixed" family tradition, my wife is Catholic and we always raised our children in her faith as a matter of "who was home the most" and figured they would decide for themselves when they got older.  I was gone so much with the military that I rarely got involved with holiday decorations since it always seemed like I was deployed over the holiday season or got home just a few days before.  Now that it's just the two of us at home and we tend to visit the kids at their place during the holidays, we just have a small table-top tree that belonged to my late step-father.  We probably wouldn't put it up for us but it is a nice way of remembering him (and the others that are no longer with us) during this time if year.

I think it's a matter of what triggers pleasant memories and not they type of tree you put up.  And on that note and since we're almost there.  HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOU ALL!!

I won't lie, I kinda spaced out in the middle, but rest assured I got the gist of your post. ;)

Growing up in Illinois, you'd think we always had a real tree, but this was not the case. We did have a geniune evergreen until I was in fourth grade, but I think this was largely for the sake of my early childhood memories, as my father was very allergic and annually was decorated with red welts all over his arms and hands from putting the tree lights on until I was old enough to do it for him. Interestingly, that particular tradition lingered even after getting a fake tree...

As far as decorating the house... well, if you've ever seen "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," you've gotten an intimate glimpse of my family in late December. Shopping downtown, busting your back on black ice, stapling your down jacket to the garage roof: that was my dad, Clarke W. Martin, cleft chin and all.

Anyway, the real tree phenomenon didn't last long. We made up for using a faux fir by using pine-scented diffusers during the holidays. Still ended up with scrapes from wrist to shoulder caused by roughly-assembled metal branch hooks and shoving the lights into the thick of the branches and winding them around the poles, hopefully sans electrocution. Eh. You get used to it.

Two years ago I was in the position to purchase a tree for my own little homestead, and I went with... fake. It's a retro throwback: shiny chartreuse branches, rather sparse, and rather small (3.5' or so). I adore it for its idiosyncrasy and mobility, though I'll never forget wandering through the tree lots at night through actual cold (I mean three degrees for a high, not 63) and taking a genuine saw to a real tree and hoping no creatures decide to execute a "Christmas miracle" in your living room. Ah, memories.

This year, I'll be celebrating the season by sharing it with friends to light the menorah, plug in my metro-retro tree, drink some nog and watch holiday movies. Sounds like a spectacular season to me. Fake tree or real tree doesn't matter so much any more.

I would definitively go for an artificial Christmas tree, they are such a better option. First of all choosing for artificial trees better for preserving the beautiful forests and second of all they can be really aesthetic and more easy to handle.

I prefer artificial pre-lit Christmas trees because they're a money saver over years, they're looking more and more like real Christmas trees, and they don't leave a mess or a smell.