Real or Artificial

WannaBeCrunchyMama

We live in a pretty mountainous area, the BLM or something issues a certain number of tree tags a year for christmas.

There are size limits etc.

What do you think.

Real or artificial?

I'm so torn. We are a very out-door family, and I love the thought of a real tree.

What do you do?  

nluvntexas

real!! there are potted ones available that are more expensive, but a sustainably harvested local tree is waaay more EF than another plastic one that will go into a landfill after 6-10 years and not break down for a couple hundred

plus, the off-gassing from plastic is horrible, IME

blissfully_caffeinated

How about a live tree? You can buy one at a nursery and plant it after the season is over.

Poonico

I may be terrible, but we use an artificial tree.  It's pre-lit.  Growing up it was my job to string the tree and I hate it.  I can't even describe how much I hate it.  My arms all itchy and covered in pin pricks.  As much as I would love a real tree, I just do not want to go there.  But, we love our tree.  It's easy to put up and looks great.  Plus it will get used for years and years to come. 

Lady Galadriel

Real, and I am super excited to get ours this year with dd. She gets super excited about everything.

Sapphyr

Artificial here. I'm allergic to pine pollen/sap. The holidays are miserable for me' at peoples houses when they have live ones. They're pretty to look at but I'm happy with a fake one.

Dobie_Mama

Real!  No off gassing & not MIC.  We do buy from a farm that doesn't use chemical pesticides as well.

lar1203

i prefer real, but we have artificial because i have a practical husband.

i have to say, it is nice not to have to hang lights and clean up pine needles. but, i do miss the smell and beauty of a real tree.

hamilton.ja

DH and I both grew up with real so neither of us can imagine getting a fake one. Plus, we'd really have nowhere to store it.

jennterrell

Fraser Firs are one of the top industries in our area -- the land below us is a small tree farm even. Many large farms are horrible with the use of herbicides, pesticides, preservatives etc. Luckily our neighbors' is pretty low maintenance.

We used to always travel at the holidays, so never got a tree for ourselves until last year. For several years, we decorated a potted Norfolk pine houseplant. Last year, we got a live (dug) Spruce, but it didn't end up making it. DH says most are not dug properly. So we'll probably stick with cutting one since it is easier, cheaper, and closer. Even if we don't have a tree I always make a fresh wreath or swags.

Growing up we always had a live tree, but my parents bought a fake one last year and I was so disappointed to see it.

smurfetteinred

Poonico:

I may be terrible, but we use an artificial tree.  It's pre-lit.  Growing up it was my job to string the tree and I hate it.  I can't even describe how much I hate it.  My arms all itchy and covered in pin pricks.  As much as I would love a real tree, I just do not want to go there.  But, we love our tree.  It's easy to put up and looks great.  Plus it will get used for years and years to come. 

Am I the only one who thinks that the damage an artificial tree does is far worse?

My dh convinced me to go artificial a few years back and I've regretted it ever since. By the time I've set the dang thing up, straightened out all the branches properly and rearranged things so it looks like a tree and not a bunch of pipe cleaners sticking out of a pole, my arms are shredded. All those little plastic wirey bits scratch my arms up so much worse than anything a real tree ever did while trying to light it. I swear it takes me just as long to put up our dang prelit then it ever did to do our real tree. I'm seriously waiting for the day it dies so we can go back to a real tree.

Shortcake2675

I would definitely get a tag and go cut one.  We've done that the last two years and it's a great memory to have.  I will caution, they always look like they'll fit and then when they come rolling down the hill, they grow.  

We're using our artificial tree this year because we've moved to a new area and are traveling home for the holidays earlier.  I will miss the ridiculous experience of trekking to find our tree. 

Linnya

We're doing real this year.  There is quite a Christmas tree industry here. 

We've had an artificial tree for the past several years, but it had to be "put down" last year due to excessive shedding.  But we did buy it used, so it had a good long life. 

I'm excited to be spending Christmas in the country that introduced Christmas trees to the world.  I can't wait to go to the local tree farm and pick one out!

nluv: I LOVE your siggy pic!

Poonico

smurfetteinred:

Poonico:

I may be terrible, but we use an artificial tree.  It's pre-lit.  Growing up it was my job to string the tree and I hate it.  I can't even describe how much I hate it.  My arms all itchy and covered in pin pricks.  As much as I would love a real tree, I just do not want to go there.  But, we love our tree.  It's easy to put up and looks great.  Plus it will get used for years and years to come. 

Am I the only one who thinks that the damage an artificial tree does is far worse?

My dh convinced me to go artificial a few years back and I've regretted it ever since. By the time I've set the dang thing up, straightened out all the branches properly and rearranged things so it looks like a tree and not a bunch of pipe cleaners sticking out of a pole, my arms are shredded. All those little plastic wirey bits scratch my arms up so much worse than anything a real tree ever did while trying to light it. I swear it takes me just as long to put up our dang prelit then it ever did to do our real tree. I'm seriously waiting for the day it dies so we can go back to a real tree.

I should add too that we have a full basement, so it stays put together when not in use.  It just needs some 'fluffing' each time we bring it up here because we have to bring it up in pieces and it gets a little bent out of shape. 

We bought it several years ago (long before we learned about all of this EF stuff).  I would guess now that my conscience might make me go the real route if I didn't already have a tree to use.  I do love our tree though.  It looks very real and it's so much easier for me.

WannaBeCrunchyMama

blissfully_caffeinated:

How about a live tree? You can buy one at a nursery and plant it after the season is over.

I would LOVE to plant one but we live in a town home

No planting here.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I felt like real was more EF, I didn't even think about the process of actually making the tree. 

Guess I have my excuse to go wandering around the forest at 34 weeks now ha.  

papagena

We always do real.  I should research more that they're being harvested EFly, but I assume that tree farms are going to be more overall beneficial than plastics, etc.