Artificial Christmas trees - pros and cons

We have one of each. One for the bay window at the front and one in the living room.

We got an artificial tree because it was really awkward getting a fresh tree in and out of the room with the bay window. The artificial tree can be assembled in-site. Also buying two fresh trees every Christmas was expensive.

In the living room the fresh tree stands directly in front of the French doors, so getting it in and out is really easy and needle litter is minimal.

As an alternative to a Christmas tree bag, use a dust sheet. Lie it out on the floor, lift the tree and lie it on the sheet, wrap it round and carry it out.

One of each here. I have a 5ft white, pre-lit pop-up version that takes two minutes to put up.

I also get a real tree from a local Christmas tree farm. I know the jury is out about artificial v real trees but I feel it's helping a local business and my local economy to give them my custom rather than buy something that's probably travelled half way round the world.

The real tree takes more than two minutes to put up and has caused us to come closer to divorce than just about anything else in our marriage.

Real trees are much better for the environment. We get one most years.

We have an old artificial tree that we've used the years when money has been tight.. but they are pretty bad for the planet, unrecyclable, take 500+ yrs to break down, and dont eat up CO2 & get replanted

Once in my life we had an artificial tree. It was when I was working full time with 3 children and couldn't face hoovering the needles every day. It wasn't the same and since that year, we've always had a real tree. We buy one of the fir trees that don't drop. I love it, love decorating it with decorations we had on our tree in the 1950's, hand made decorations my children made and all the fluff and fancy I've been unable to resist. Fabulous.

We bought a new artificial tree last year. DH didn't thing it was big enough. It's a 5' tree and we only live in a three bedroom house. Granted out living room is 20' long, but the ceiling is the normal height. It's not as if we have a a huge space to fill. I think it's tall enough.

I've always had a real tree, only about 4' tall because my house is miniscule, but when the log burner is lit and the smell of the pine tree fills the room, it's unbeatable. We're lucky enough to have the local hospice call to collect Christmas trees, in the New Year, for a small donation. Alternatively, there is a local farmer who uses old Christmas trees for his capercaillie run. Either way, they go to good use afterwards.

For many years we had a real tree from a local Christmas tree farm, they had a good choice of different varieties, plus you could go out into the forest and choose one to be cut.

In 2008, I decided to buy a "good" artificial one, 7ft, from JL It was a bit of a bugger to assemble, so we left it half way through. That night/early morning, my ex was knocking on the door to tell me about DS2.

Over the next couple of days, we carried on with the blasted tree, and we used it for a couple of years after, but I rather took against it.

Much as I love a real tree, it is only Mr P and I, and a decent tree is around £30, add on the bringing it in, putting it up, then the taking down (needles everywhere).

So, last year I went really radical , we had 3 of those illuminated twig trees (the ones that look like birch trees) in various sizes, grouped together, and decorated with white and silver decorations.

They looked gorgeous, (not just my opinion) took no time whatsoever to put up and decorate, and just as easy to take down and put away.

I bought an artificial one last year, with many misgivings on environmental grounds.
We had one in a pot which we used to lug in every year but it died last year, and we decided we getting too old to lug in a real tree and clear up the mess each year.

If it lasts for 500 years then I hope it will become a family heirloom and come out every year for the next 499 years.

We do have trees and a hedge which eat up CO2.

I bought a new, glittery, artificial tree last year. It has taken the better part of a year to clear all the vestiges of glitter out of my car, and there are probably little bits in crevices even now. As I'm usually away for Christmas, there's no point in having a real tree, so an artificial tree is the answer - but not a glittery one - never again.

Will be buying an artificial pre-lit one this year. There is a large artificial one out in the garage, but I simply cannot face or manage getting it out and putting the lights on it this year, since DH is no longer here to do it. Thought a pre-lit one would be easier. Thought about not bothering, but the DGDs would be disappointed.

Always a real one; I rate imitation trees with imitation flowers: false.

Always a real one here. Dh always saws a bit off the bottom and we install it in a large bucket of wet gravel, topped up often, so it lasts very well.

I don't have 'eco' objections to real trees. They are grown as a crop, after all, and such fast-growing trees use up a lot of carbon dioxide.

Having said that, the first Christmas tree I ever bought was artificial and seriously naff by today's standards. It was only about 3 feet tall, came in a box with lights and a few decorations.

However we were living in Oman at the time, with virtually no western style shops, and even basics could be very hard to come by, so I was ecstatic to find any sort of tree at all - I absolutely loved it!

I don't have 'eco' objections to real trees.
I don't have eco objections to real trees, I meant that I have eco objections to artificial ones

I know I'll end up going out to buy a small real one in a pot for the hall table as well

Agnurse, thank you. We try to be as responsible as we can with resources. I buy as much as possible from small businesses and crafters for our Yule gifts and shop locally for the food we eat. As a family we're huge recyclers, and make lots of things ourselves.

agnurse your story of your uncle reminded me of a farmer friend (sadly passed now) who went out one day with his son to get a tree. When he arrived back this tree was enormous and the top had to be cut off to get it in the room. His wife asked where he'd got it from - they cut it down from the side of the motorway near where they lived!!

Many years ago when we had an engineering business the local council approached us asking if we could make some wall brackets to put the town's trees up above the shops. We did and they're still in use today. My husband also made one for our front too which we used to put a real tree in.

I did used to go completely over the top with decorations at Christmas. One year I thought it would be good to put garlands all round the three walls where the extensions are - I asked husband if he could make me some tubular frames to hang them on never imagining how much work (and steel tubing) this would involve. They looked spectacular when done but then had to dismantle it all and get the frames back to the factory - it weighed a ton too! Suffice to say it was the last year that happened!

Christmas trees are grown as a crop, to be harvested like a field of wheat. You don’t need to feel sorry for them.
I equate artificial trees with plastic windows and polyester- practical but no thanks.

I have an artificial, slim tree which fits nicely into a corner.

I've had my small artificial tree for many years. It's old and bent now, a bit like me, but I'm fond of it and don't intend to start lugging real trees around at my age. I decorate it nicely each year, try to vary it a bit. I think it looks nice.

I know that, watermeadow.
We do know someone who is a 'Christmas tree farmer' but we are just past being able to cope with a real tree, except that I will sneak in a little one in a pot

henetha

I agree jalima our backs aren’t what they used to be for lugging Christmas trees about.

Our cats hated our real tree, they always got needles in their little paws.?

We found that little crawlers tended to get the needles everywhere too!

I just love the smell of a real tree. When my Mum was living with us we eventually had to move her from an upstairs bedroom because she couldn't cope with the stairs and turn our sitting room into a bedsit for her (and us). She loved it when we put up the tree, especially the smell, and was always sorry when it had to come down.

Absentdaughter has an artificial tree, which is always beautifully decorated and looks charming, but the grandchildren expect us to have a huge great green one that they can help decorate. One of the joys of Christmas.

We have a large, quite realistic looking artificial tree, which is now getting a bit aged and wonky. It is also the most incredible faff to “arrange”, as however carefully it is put away the branches always need a lot of adjusting after a year in the loft. The last couple of years I have thought about either replacing it or getting a real one, but with no children at home it has always been a bit of a last minute thing getting the tree done. Really must get to grips with it early enough this year!