Xmas trees...traditional, stylish or trendy

Maggiemaybe, when dds were still at home they’d go with dh to choose a tree, and invariably come back with such a huge thing, dh would have to saw a foot off the bottom, to get it to fit under the ceiling, and we’d still have to shift the furniture around to make space.
Now it’s just me and dh I go with him, and we get a six foot max.

Many years ago someone made a wicker-based wreath for DH. That same one has to come out every year.

kittylester

After years of renting a tree, we have succumbed to a prelit, artificial for the lounge. It's decoration depends on whether I can stop who ever is here from throwing everything at it! It is supposed to be tasteful!

We have a white branch in the hall with glass and pink and purple baubles. We also have one on the 'glass corridor' which is probably visible from space.

I didn't know you could rent Christmas trees. Quite a revelation. I've never heard of anyone doing this or seen it advertised. I suppose it solves the problem of storage. Where would you go to rent one? Are you in the UK kitty?

There are lots of places that rent out Christmas trees all over the country. This one is near us, in Bristol. It may be very sustainable, but seems pricey to me…..

www.aliandjoes.com/online-store/RENT-A-TREE-150cm-5ft-ft-Potted-Christmas-Tree-p227062907

We have a real tree in the living room, decorated with many different baubles collected over the years, some are from my parent’s tree, one from my father’s tree when he was a child, and some collected from the various places we have visited over the years. In the dining room we have a small artificial, self lit tree, standing on the piano. Outside the front we door we have a small (about three foot) real tree decorated with outdoor lights.

flappergirl, for the past few years dd and SiL have rented a tree - they’ve had the same one back again, but it was always tall, so presumably it’ll be too tall at some point. It’s kept well watered and previously I’ve noticed that it was making new growth shortly before being returned.

They are in Oxford, but the tree comes from maybe 20 miles away, I forget where - SiL has had to strap it to the roof of the car!

In addition to the real one in the sitting room, a small potted one with lights, goes outside the front door on 1st December - or as near to that as I can manage.

Last year’s is in a pot in the garden. I usually manage to keep them for 2-3 years before they start looking sad. Can’t plant them in the garden alas, it’s just too small.

When I was a child, for many years we had a tiny real tree (my mother insisted that she liked little trees, but undoubtedly it was initially down to cost) which was planted out and dug up again every year.

It evidently wasn't happy about this, and it showed!
When I was maybe 13, the boy next door (who I had a bit of a crush on at the time) said, ‘Has your Christmas tree had a heart attack?’ 😂

Eventually the poor thing was pensioned off and left to grow properly in the garden.

Our tree is artificial, bought by me when DH was working abroad and I was at home with two small children and suffering two tennis elbows and two housemaids knees. I couldn't manage to carry a real tree home. That is nearly 40 years ago and we still have it. Huge and very realistic.

The baubles are of all sorts, including some that I had when I was a tiny tot 70+ years ago, glass of course. The fairy is a plastic one from Woollies (also 70 years ago) and she has had new knickers over the years.

I decorate it in gaudy baubles, some pretty wooden ones from a hol in Germany, and bright tinsel of all colours. We love it but it's now a struggle to get it down from the loft and sometimes never goes back.

It's nor modern, not stylish, but historic and means a lot to me.

flappergirl

kittylester

After years of renting a tree, we have succumbed to a prelit, artificial for the lounge. It's decoration depends on whether I can stop who ever is here from throwing everything at it! It is supposed to be tasteful!

We have a white branch in the hall with glass and pink and purple baubles. We also have one on the 'glass corridor' which is probably visible from space.

I didn't know you could rent Christmas trees. Quite a revelation. I've never heard of anyone doing this or seen it advertised. I suppose it solves the problem of storage. Where would you go to rent one? Are you in the UK kitty?

In Cambridgeshire/Suffolk real Christmas trees can be delivered and installed. Perhaps look to 'The Christmas Tree Firm'. We've friends who are pleased with their service.

pascal30
We still have real candles for Christmas eve. They are truly beautiful but always watched closely.
Nothing is quite so magical.

I have recently discovered you can buy twinkly fake ones powered by individual batteries and controlled with a remote control. They aren't joined with a wire and come in several "styles". I have put some on my "birthday list" in case anyone is interested....

Much as I don’t usually care for artificial trees, I did once have the most fake one imaginable, and loved it!

It was mid 70s, about my first year with dh in Oman. There were hardly any western-style shops at the time, and virtually nothing Cnristmassy to buy. But a colleague told me that she’d heard of a new ‘proper’ shop opening! So we set off in my little car, quite a way into town, and down various dirt tracks, to find it.
Oh joy! They actually had a little Christmas tree, an ultra fake one, only about 3’ tall, ‘branches’ of green and white tinsel, in a box with a set of lights and a few baubles!

I was so chuffed with my little tree - it was the only one among expat friends, all the children came to admire it.

A few years ago I found it in the loft and binned it - poor little tree, I still wish I hadn’t. 🙁

Witzend what a lovely memory!
Maybe you have a photo of it somewhere.
You obviously do in your heart.
🎄

After a bereavement last year just before Christmas , I don’t think I can bring myself to do Christmas this year. I think I need a time of quiet reflection. I hope to do Christmas next year because it was a time of year my son loved.

Juniewoonie I know how you feel. After my son died in the November I didn’t want to do Christmas. My family persuaded me otherwise so I went out and bought star shaped plain tree lights and a silver star for the top. It was very peaceful and in honour of my missing star. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything else.
Now if someone has suffered a bereavement I send a Christmas card wishing them peace.

I got a fake frosted tree about 9 inches high in the garden centre’s sale, and that’s the extent of my decorations. I hate Christmas.