Real tree or prelit?

annsixty I'm not sure I see "superior and snobby" comments (maybe mine was one - if so, I'm very sorry).
I think we all do what we prefer but only as much as we are able.

I couldn't do a big tree without help - but think I'd still have a real one even if small. Others like the additional sparkles of tinsel type trees and some like it yo look real but actually be synthetic.

Unfortunately there are things I no longer do at Christmas that I used to.
We all adapt as we get older or in case of disabilities.

Christmas is really in our hearts not in our decorations- I'm sure your Christmas will be as warm as it ever was. Please don't be downhearted.
🎄

I have a couple of friends who are from the traveller community. They have about 5 fully decorated trees in the house and they are all colour co ordinated. So one room might be silver and purple, another might be gold and red etc.

They usually have several trees decorated outside too.

It really is horses for courses.
We had real trees for years, it was a lovely weekend for us going to the garden centre, holding up multiple trees, checking for fullness and and shape.
Getting it in the boot or on the roof rack, installed for the occasion.
But firstly getting a kitten changed our choice, then getting older, H with Alzheimer’s so no car, getting too old to lug one about etc.
I have had a small real one in my conservatory for the last two years but even that defeats me now.
I think there have been some very superior and snobby posts on this thread which maybe need a little consideration for people’s circumstances.
There, I’ve said it now and got it off my chest.

We always had a 6/7 foot real tree before we moved. DH always had trouble getting it stable. One year one fell right across the lounge blocking anyone getting in to help me.
When we moved we bought a real and I bought some new expensive glass baubles three days before Christmas it started to drop and all the baubles were broken during the night.
We then bought an expensive false one which looked real and plastic baubles as we had toddler grandchildren. With pre-lit twig trees in other rooms.
Last year we were going away and I decided there was no longer any need for Santa's grotto downgraded the trees to one, decorations to three colours and suddenly the house looked more modern and felt calm, It was good to come home to no struggle for DH. Plenty of greenery in jugs in the other rooms and tied to the gate which lots do in the village.
At home this year we are sticking to last year's decorations.
A good Diptique candle gives the smell of pine if we want it.Which DH doesn't!!!!

Love the real trees but couldn’t put up with the mess and constant attention. Git the best fake tree ever at M&S last year bought on offer love it clean sparkly and does the job!

Real tree for me - but it comes in on 23rd or 24th so always stunning on Christmas day.
As a girl we had a 7' gold tree in the sitting room and a slightly smaller real one in the dining room. We had decorations and flowers everywhere- including roses from the garden.

My father had spent some time as a window dresser for the big stores in London so the house was part of his "artistic expression". My parents had a retail businesses and the decorations in the shop were something to behold!

Don't expect I could do a big real tree now without MrSpaghetti though...
Very very lucky to still have him. ❤️
So, RosiesMaw I'd say get a tiny real one probably. Buy one with roots and plant out when you get back. After all you probably won't have the house too warm whilst you ate away. 🤞

We usually go off to the garden centre and get a real tree which would stand in a corner of the kitchen next to a sofa. I would then stand on the sofa to decorate the upper reaches of the tree. However having broken my arm and now seeing hazards everywhere I could envisage falling head first into tree. So this year I found a pretty pre lit Birch tree in John Lewis. Whilst it looks a bit delicate and sparse un plugged, once the lights are on the effect is really nice. Hoping it will bear some of our lighter baubles easily. Next year we may revert back to a proper pine, but I like the accessibility and ease of access to my newly acquired "fake" so maybe not!

I always bought a real tree about 7ft tall that did cost a lot a Norwegian pine. About five years ago I bought a beautiful fake tree from the garden centre. It was expensive but the benefits are no mess and its so realistic with snowy tips and cones on it.
I have a smaller one in the dining room and one in the kitchen it brings the house to life. It lifts my spirits decorating the house which will begin at the weekend.

Always a real one here. When DH died I thought I wouldn't want one again and I haven't done Christmas dinner here for 4 years but I still have visitors and the tree is a festive tradition. I'm lucky that the local community woodland grow and cut conifers to raise funds for the mixed woodland being created. I like to keep it outside until Christmas eve to keep it fresh.
leadburnwood.com/

I’m allergic to pine needles so we always have an artificial Christmas tree. In the first few years of our marriage we always stayed with my parents over the festive period anyway so it would have been a waste of money to buy a real one. These days they are quite realistic looking and there is something rather special (and surely greener in the long run) about getting the same tree down from the loft year after year and decorating it with all the familiar decorations of different vintages. I normally put it up in the middle of December but in 2020 everything was so bleak that l bought a small prelit tree from Amazon and had it up on December 2nd.

We always had a real tree until a few years ago when we extended the house with a kitchen /diner/living area and had underfloor heating installed . Our 7ft real tree was minus its needles on the lower branches by Christmas Day despite daily filling the tree stand . So we now have a a very realistic fake . I use pine cones in my decorations so still get the smell of pine .
I also have a fibre optic tree in our living room .

I think that tree is perfectly lovely, Maw. Size isn’t everything!

I can’t keep poinsettias, the leaves fall off as soon as they see me. 😂 My friend has had hers all year. I don’t know how she keeps it alive, it’s in her kitchen so it gets blasted with heat/cold/small children and goodness knows what else.

We’ve had real and artificial. Both have their pros and cons.
Current one must be 15 years old and was an expensive fibre optic one. It looks quite real and the coloured lights change and look lovely.

SueDonim

Tesco today had some potted real trees for £8. I’d guess they were between 2-3 ft tall.

Alternatively, what about treating yourself to a Christmas arrangement of flowers?

Nice thought but I buy flowers anyway, hate poinsettias with a passion (!) and as I am away over Christmas flowers would be a waste

Still don’t know - you are mostly encouraging me towards real I suppose.
This is last years -small but perfectly formed!

Tesco today had some potted real trees for £8. I’d guess they were between 2-3 ft tall.

Alternatively, what about treating yourself to a Christmas arrangement of flowers?

Real tree here always, pricey, but I love the Christmas season. I have just had my lounge done, and the small potted real trees in Sainsburys (other stores sell them as well) for £25 caught my eye. Nice pot and lovely shape. When you are away you could just water the earth really well, and it should be OK when you get back.
I know you can get some lovely fake tree's but would you really like it and be happy with it? If so some of the good quality ones are lovely.
I am going to have real tree, just not sure about the size this year. Normally I have a large one.
Enjoy it whatever you get.

My family in Norway go onto the forested part of their land and cut down the best one for the house. My British grandchildren are going out this year, and are so looking forward to this - something I had imagined happened only in storybooks .

RosiesMaw- you could buy a classy fake tree ( White Company/ Balsam Hill) and - whisper- hang on it some of those little dangly things which smell of pine...

We have a real tree in the sitting room - on order to be delivered about 11 or 12th I think. I also have a real door wreath with a big red bow.

We used to have a smaller tree in the hall and conservatory as well, but particularly as we are out for Christmas lunch we won’t bother this year, but will decorate each room. I am expecting to do some entertaining over Christmas and the new year so the house needs to be festive.

When I did push the boat out we had trees in the lounge, dining and family rooms. Swedish bridges on the kitchen windowsill, then a mini tree on the loo windowsill and my Dad’s old fibre optic tree in the conservatory!

Tree’d out now.

No tree at all here. We have always had real ones - recently renting them - but we have decided to opt out and buy lots of shiny light up decorations.

I'll let you know if the children decide to speak to us again.

keepcalmandcavachon

Gin

Incidentally, why are people having multiple trees around the house? Where did this trend spring from?

I have 4 up by December -kitchen, dining room, sitting room and conservatory, I didn't realise it was now a trend, always done it. Might put tiny little ones with battery lights in the bedrooms this year too

Everywhere, trees and lights everywhere!

We have trees and lights in various rooms, including kitchen. Also in the back garden FC shop and in holiday grotto on the grounds.

Gin, I hate housework and certainly don’t make a martyr of myself over it, but I still feel the need for a bit of a pre Christmas blitz - among other things polishing silver and brass, especially an antique Zanzibari chest that’s largely covered with ornamental brass and copper.

It’s a big job and I only ever do it during the run up to Christmas, hence to me, the smell of Brasso wadding has come to feel Christmassy!

I don’t care how convenient fake trees are. I would never dream of having one.

Not this year’s! Don’t put it up until December.